By the Lion's Mane: The Call
by carolinagirl2
Summary: Rose has come back to England and is in search of the Pevensies. Will she find them and confess her feelings to Edmund? When they find themselves back in Narnia in the midst of a revolution, will they be able to save their country? Sequel to my 1st story.
1. Chapter 1

So thanks for reading my first story! This is the sequel, so enjoy!

It's called The Call after the very last song in _Prince Caspian_ (movie), by Regina Spektor. I thought it was sort of appropriate. Here are the lyrics, just so you can see:

It started out as a feeling  
Which then grew into a hope  
Which then turned into a quiet thought  
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder  
'Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back  
When you call me  
No need to say goodbye

Just because everything's changing  
Doesn't mean it's never  
Been this way before

All you can do is try to know  
Who your friends are  
As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon  
And follow the light

You'll come back  
When it's over  
No need to say good bye

Now we're back to the beginning  
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet  
But just because they can't feel it too  
Doesn't mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger  
'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back  
When it's over  
No need to say good bye

So now I will begin!

**Chapter One**

I pulled my cloak closer around me, but it didn't do much to shield me against the sheets of icy rain. Water trickled down the back of my neck, down my chest, seeping into my clothes and boots. My feet squished through the black mud, and I tried my best not to slip in the puddles of the ruts in the road.

Up ahead I could make out the low, dark silhouette of a barn. A way off, I saw the warm yellow light of a farmhouse. Shivering, I turned back to the barn and continued toward it. Maybe I could stay here for the night.

I leaned against the door, pushing it open with a squeak of rusty hinges. Then I eagerly stepped inside, followed by the sopping gray form of my faithful unicorn, Anduril. Once inside the barn he shook himself like a dog, sending a shower of cold water droplets off of his coat. I pushed the door closed again, and turned to face the interior of the barn.

It was much warmer in here, the presence of many animals heating it. I took a deep breath, inhaling the musky smell of hay, manure, leather, and animals. It wasn't a bad smell. It was a warm, inviting smell. I took off my cloak and shook it out. I found my oilskin bag with all my belongings inside, nice and dry. I stripped off my soaking tunic and leggings and socks, and laid them out to dry on a bale of hay with my cloak. Then I quickly dressed in a fresh dress.

I took a handful of straw and rubbed Andy's coat until he was dry and silver again, and he nuzzled me in gratitude. I rubbed the horny bump on his poll, between his ears, where his great spiral horn used to be. Before he sacrificed it to save my life. "We'll spend the night here Anduril. Then we can leave at dawn, before the farmer comes to tend to his cows." I whispered softly to him. I found an empty stall and settled myself down in the thick bed of straw. Using Andy's flank as a pillow, I covered myself in my two wool blankets, and quickly fell asleep.

I dreamt of a sun-filled country of forests and rivers and flowers. Strange, wonderful creatures danced through them, playing happy wood-songs on their pipes. I dreamt of a beautiful castle on a cliff overlooking the shining sea. I dreamt of Narnia.

It had already been three months since I had returned after fifteen years in that happy world, which meant it was now April. But now I was here in England again, wandering the countryside, hoping to eventually find my family again. Well, the Pevensies weren't actually related to me, but they might as well have been. They were like brothers and sisters to me. Well, except that I was in love with one of them.

Even though Aslan had warned me not to lose hope and to trust him, it was hard. I had very little food, just what I could hunt or scavenge. I had even come to stealing a few eggs from a chicken house once, and I had felt very bad about it. I slept in barns, the woods, or the houses of generous strangers. But I was miserable.

Morning came. I was awakened by the sound of the rusty barn door being shoved aside, and a cheerful tune being whistled. The whistler called, "Good morning Buttercup! Good morning Clover! Not going to kick the pail over this morning, are you Harriet?" I sat completely still, hoping that he wouldn't notice me and my "horse". I peeked over the top of the stall, and watched as a young man, probably in his late teens, began milking the doe-eyed Jersey cows at the other end of the barn. Early morning sunlight streamed through the windows and the door, dust motes dancing through the beams.

I crawled back over to Andy, who was listening tensely. I put my finger to my lips, and he nodded. I sat in the straw, trying my best to think of how I could get myself and Anduril out of here without the boy noticing us. Turns out I didn't have to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

I crawled back over to peek over the top of the stall, but when I did, he was right there. I mean, _right there. _I gasped and jumped back, and Anduril jumped to his feet. The boy's eyes widened in surprise, and he crossed his arms. "Who are you and what are you doing in my papa's barn?"

My mouth opened and closed a few times, before I finally managed to make words come out. "I-I'm Rose. I wasn't going to steal anything; I was just trying to get out of the rain last night."

He raised one eyebrow. He had brown, shaggy hair that fell in his eyes. A few freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks, and his arms were tan and muscular from working in the sunny fields.

"I-I'll leave now. I was going to leave before dawn, I promise, but I overslept." He nodded. I bent down and picked up my things, and, even though he would follow me, I tied a rope to the worn halter that Andy now wore. People would think it was strange if I rode him with no bridle or any kind of control. I pretended to lead him, and we went through the door, out into the sunlight. The farm boy followed me. I started down the dirt road, avoiding the muddiest spots and puddles, but he called out to me.

"Wait," he called. I turned back around to look at him. "Why don't you at least stay for breakfast?" He said, rubbing the back of his neck. I stared at him, pausing. It sounded _so _good, and my stomach growled, deciding for me.

"Well…All right. But I'll leave right after." He nodded, giving me a half smile.

"You can put your horse back in the stall, and I'll fork him some hay. He looks like he could use it."

Once Andy was happily munching away, the boy led me up to the farm house. It was a two-story gray brick building with blue shutters. There were flowers planted around the base and a small vegetable garden around the side. I saw a well out back.

"I'm Benjamin, by the way, but you can call me Ben." He stuck out his hand, and I shook it.

He kicked off his muddy boots on the back porch, and I did the same. Then he pushed open the door and called, "Mother! Set out another place! We have a guest!"

My face flushed. Ben led me into the kitchen, where a plump middle-aged woman was bustling about, frying eggs and bacon and buttering toast. My mouth started watering at the wonderful smell. She looked up at me and raised her eyebrows.

"And who is this?" She asked. Her hair was also brown like Ben's, but had a few streaks of gray in it now. She had kind gray eyes, and her faces had a few wrinkles around her mouth. I could tell she liked to smile.

Ben spoke up. "This is Rose. I found her sleeping in Joey's old stall. She has a horse." At that moment, Ben's father strode into the kitchen. He was a giant bear of a man, with a black beard and graying hair.

"Sleeping in the horse stall, was she?" He boomed. The skin around his eyes crinkled in crow's feet as he grinned. My face burned a deeper shade of red. Ben's mother spoke next.

"Look how thin you are! Poor dear, you're skin and bones! But we'll fatten you up soon enough!" She heaped eggs and bacon and toast onto a plate and sent me to the table. "Wash first!" She exclaimed to us all.

Then we all sat around the table and ate. I tried my best not to scarf my food down in seconds. Mrs. Harris, as I learned was their last name, kept watching me eat.

Between bites, Mr. Harris spoke in his loud voice, "So, Ben said you have a horse."

I answered politely, "Yes, sir."

Ben nodded. "Big white stallion. Good straight legs, broad back."

Mr. Harris smiled. "And where'd you get him?" Mrs. Harris shot him a look.

"Umm…He was left to me by my father," I made up on the spot.

"What happened to your parents, Rose?" Mrs. Harris asked kindly.

I was surprised when it took me a moment to remember. I didn't think about my family much, and felt suddenly guilty. "My mother died when I was born. My father died in the war. I don't know where my brother is." I took another bite of my eggs. Mr. Harris broke the silence by scooting back his chair from the table with a loud scrape. I was beginning to see that he did everything loudly.

"Well, better get to the animals. Check on the sheep. See if any new lambs came last night. Like to come in the worst weather." He left his plate on the table. Ben stood and followed him.

I stood and said, "Well, I'd better get going then," quietly. I took my plate to the sink.

"Why don't you stay awhile, dear? You could help me around the house; tend to the chickens and the horses. You don't have anywhere else to go," Mrs. Harris suggested, a look of motherly concern on her face.

I shook my head. "I don't want to impose."

Mrs. Harris put her hands on her hips. "Honey, don't you worry about that. You barely ate anything at all, and you're so quiet!"

I was silent for a moment, thinking. The Harris' were nice people. I really would like to stay. "Well…I guess. But I'll sleep in the barn." Mrs. Harris tried to convince me that they had an extra room, but I was firm, so she finally gave in. "Oh all right. Sleep in the barn if you want. Now come help me with these dishes. Men are worthless around the house, just make messes," she complained good-naturedly.

After washing all of the dishes, I went back to the barn. Ben and Mr. Harris were inside, standing outside Andy's stall. He was snorting and neighing angrily, his ears pinned against his head.

"What's wrong?" I asked, a frown creasing my face.

Ben spoke, frowning. "I went in and tried to pick up his hooves, and he tried to kick me. I knocked him on the nose, and then he went into this rage. Almost trampled me." I slipped into the stall, ignoring their warnings.

"Hey, Andy, calm down," I said softly. "They're good people. He was just checking your feet, like I always do. Don't make such a fuss." He calmed down and nuzzled me. Andy, being a unicorn, is extremely intelligent. He understands everything I say, but is extremely protective of me and doesn't like anyone to ride or approach him without me around.

Mr. Harris chuckled in his booming voice. "Well, would you look at that! It's like the horse understands her!" Ben raised his eyebrow again.

"Um, could I turn him out? He doesn't like being cooped up for long," I told them. He was never cooped up, in fact. At Cair Paravel, there was no door on his stall, and he could always go out for grass whenever he wanted.

I put Andy in a pasture with the cows. He was slightly insulted by this, but I slipped him a lump of sugar and all was forgiven.

Ben came and sat up on the fence next to me. "My mother tells me you're staying in the barn for awhile." I nodded. He studied me. I studied him. He was a good-looking boy, and he seemed nice.

"How old are you?" he asked, finally looking away across the fields.

"Thi-fifteen," I said. I had almost said thirty. I'd have to get used to being fifteen again, but it was strange. "How old are you?"

He turned and stared back across the pasture again. "Nineteen." I nodded.

"Well…I guess I'd better get back to the fields. Papa needs me to help him with the plowing." I nodded again. I hopped down off the fence. I watched him walk with that farmer's gait, that swinging walk where they never quite unbend their knees.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Over the next few weeks, I settled into the farm routine. Everyone was awake with the sun at the

rooster's crow. Benjamin came out to the barn and we milked the cows together. We chatted for awhile

in the barn, and then headed back up to the house for breakfast. I helped Mrs. Harris with the dishes

and housework, and then I went down to the fields. At first, the men hesitated when I offered to lend a

hand, but I proved what a help I could be. So I took care of the horses- Chloe and Jack, and the other

animals.

I was quiet most of the time. I was the most comfortable around Mrs. Harris, I guess because I was

around her age. She was forty-one, and I was thirty, even if I was in my fifteen year old body. Mr. Harris

had just turned fifty.

One day in early May, I was around the back of the barn with Anduril, practicing my sword strokes. I did

this a lot, so that I wouldn't get rusty without practice. I was working up a sweat, my arms were aching,

and I was completely focused. I didn't hear Benjamin approach. "What the hell?" He exclaimed when I

nearly took off his head. I jumped in surprise and leaped around, my sword at his throat. He backed

against the rough wooden wall of the barn. "Rose! Put the bloody thing down!" I realized what I was

doing, and quickly sheathed my blade. I caught my breath. Once the longsword was out of sight, Ben

relaxed.

"Sorry," I managed.

"What are you doing with that thing? Where did it come from?" He asked, his brown eyes wide.

I hesitated. He wouldn't believe me. "It…was my father's." He raised his eyebrow, a gesture that was

very common with him.

"And where did _he _get it?" He asked, not believing me.

I frowned. "His father," I snapped. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were in town,

selling that boar?"

Ben crossed his arms and ignored my question. "Can I see it?"

"No," I answered shortly. I turned and strode back into the barn, into the tack room where I slept. I

unbuckled the belt that held my scabbard and put it away, wrapping it in an oiled cloth and putting it in

my sack.

When I turned, Ben was leaning against the door frame, frowning as he studied me. "What?" I snapped

again.

"Just…Nothing," he said, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"Well that's clear," I answered with a scowl. "Can I get by?"

He smiled. "Can I see the sword?" I sighed, rolling my eyes toward the rafters. I went into the room and

returned with the sword. I handed it to him, hilt pointed towards him. I took it, and was surprised by its

weight.

"Wow. This is heavier than I'd expected." I snorted and looked away. He studied the hilt, running his

fingers over the carved images of lions and unicorns. "Is this real gold?" He asked in awe and disbelief.

"Yes, so be careful with it." He handed it back to me, incorrectly, I might add.

"Where'd you learn to use it?" I looked away and shrugged. I returned it to the pack. He raised that

eyebrow.

I sighed. "It doesn't matter why I have the sword, or where I learned to use it, ok? And if I told you, you

wouldn't believe me." Then I turned and strode away towards the sheep pastures, swinging onto

Anduril's back at a canter.

Benjamin continued to ask me questions about the sword. He knew I was hiding something, and he was

curious. He also hung around me more, and I often caught him watching me. Those eyes, rimmed in a

dark halo of long lashes. They were the same shade of chocolate brown as Edmund's. I missed Edmund

so much, and I often shed a tear or two at night for him. I didn't know where he was. I often wondered

if he ever thought about me, thinking about what we in Narnia speculated about their disappearance.

He didn't know I was here in England. I wondered if I would ever see him again, to tell him I loved him.

**~Edmund~**

Months after we'd come back to Finchley, and yet I still couldn't believe it.

When we'd stumbled back through the wardrobe to find the Professor entering the room as if fifteen

years hadn't passed was quite a shock. But even more so when I found that I was a boy of fifteen again,

my voice high and immatured, still wearing the same clothes I'd been wearing to play cricket in. It was

mind boggling.

But that was several months ago, and it had become safe enough for us to come home again. It was

amazing to see my mother, who hadn't aged at all, for the first time in over a decade, and I have to

admit I did shed a tear or two when she swept us into a hug when we got off our train.

But now I had to pack my trunk again, for it was time to go back to school for the new term. I didn't

think I could bear sitting in a classroom, listening to lectures about all of the useless things they taught

us in school. Nothing really mattered much to me anymore.

It was the same for all of us. We had no interest in anything in this world anymore. Our thoughts and

dreams remained in Narnia, that golden country where we ruled as kings and queens, where terrific

creatures of legend and myth lived and were real. We all longed to return, but in the meantime, we had

to settle for daydreams.

I daydreamed of racing Phillip through the woods, soaring over mossy fallen logs, gurgling streams of icy,

clear water, the scent of wildflowers in bloom filling my nose. And my opponent, matching me stride for

stride, on her white steed, a unicorn, her chestnut hair streaming out behind her as she laughs.

Rose. What did she and the others think? They wouldn't know where we could have gone; they might

think we were dead. Surely they would have sent out search parties when we didn't come back, but

nothing remained except our horses and saddlebags. Who would rule Narnia now, and how could we

get back? Those were the questions that haunted me. But they weren't the only troubles that plagued

me in my sleep.

I also felt the guilt and regret of my goodbye to Rose. To let her leave, and with only a stiff handshake?

We had acted like children, that was for sure. And as I did shake her hand, I could see the hurt in her

round, pretty face. But she hid it behind a mask of indifference, and I turned away in silence. To think

that seeing her standing on the deck of that ship sailing away east may be the last time I ever saw her

filled me with regret, and I longed to take it back and give her a proper goodbye.

_Thanks for the review! Yeah, so far I've only gotten a total of four reviews on both of my stories, just one on this one. But thank you so much to those of you that have given me reviews, they're really nice. :D I am listening to ya'lls suggestions, so keep reviewing each chapter and tell me what you think! Thanks!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

One night I was in the tack room, sitting on my cot cleaning a harness. I heard someone approach and I

looked up to see Ben.

"Hey," I greeted him as he smiled and walked in.

"Hi. I thought you might need some help," he gestured to the pile of leather in the floor that I was

supposed to clean. I tossed him a sponge and he dipped it into the soapy water.

We were quiet for awhile, just the scrubbing of the sponges and the squeak of leather. I finished the

harness, and stood to hang it back on the wall. As I reached up to place it on the rack, I jabbed my hand

on a nail sticking out of the wall.

I winced and said, "Ow!" Ben jumped up.

"Are you ok?" He asked as a crimson bead of blood rolled off my hand. I stuck it in my mouth and

nodded.

"Let me see," he said. I put my hand out for him to look at. He ran his calloused fingers over my palm,

and pulled out a cloth. He wrapped it around my palm, and tied it tightly.

"There. That's better." I nodded and said thanks. He looked at me with those chocolate eyes.

Before I could really comprehend what was happening, he leaned forward and kissed me. My eyes

widened in surprise, but then fluttered closed without me meaning them to. His lips were soft and

gentle, and he tasted like cinnamon. I don't know why, but he did. He put his hand on the back of my

neck, tilting my head up to him. My heart thudded. I kissed him back. His mouth opened, and mine did

too. He pressed closer to me, and I leaned against the wall. My brain was foggy.

But with a start, I realized what I was doing. I was kissing a boy who was eleven years younger than me,

and who _wasn't_ Edmund. I turned my head, breaking off the kiss. I was a little out of breath. He pushed

a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and leaned his forehead against mine. I wiggled out from under

him, and went and stood in the doorway. My face was hot, and I was breathing hard, my heart still

thudding. I blew out through my mouth and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Rose…" Ben said. I turned and looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Ben, but I…I can't…" I sighed and went and sat on the cot, not sure what to tell him. Certainly

not the truth. But how could I explain why I couldn't kiss him, why I couldn't be with him?

Ben stood where I'd left him and his brow furrowing in confusion. "What can't you do?" he asked.

I ran my fingers through my hair again, looking at the ceiling. "I can't…be with you…like that."

"Why not?" he asked softly, his longish hair falling into his eyes a bit.

I looked at him finally, sadly. "There's…someone else, someone I've known a long time."

Now he looked at the ground, digging the toe of his boot into the straw. "And you love him," he stated

flatly.

I nodded.

"Well where is he then? Why aren't you with him?" He asked.

I looked at the ground too. "I don't know where he is. And I suppose because…well, he doesn't know I

love him, and I'm not sure he loves me back." This turned out to be the wrong thing to say.

Ben glared at me, his soft brown eyes hardening. "He doesn't love you back? And yet you're going to

search all over England with the childish hope that he just might realize he does after all?"

I frowned, suddenly mad. Who was he to judge my decisions, especially when he didn't know the whole

story? But what hurt the most was that he was…right. "I don't see why it has anything to do with you!" I

snapped at him.

"Doesn't have anything to do with me? _You _have something to do with me! You've been living with me

and my family for the last month, and led me to believe that you _liked _me! When really it was all just a

lie, all you really wanted was a place to stay and to eat our food, reaping the benefits of our labor like a

leech! And somehow, I managed to be blind to all of this and fall in love with you!"

I was silenced, shocked and stung. I felt tears pricking at my eyes, and a tightness around my temples I

got when I was on the verge of crying, along with a lump in my throat. I stood, quietly putting all of my

belongings back into my oiled bag and pulling on my shoes. I walked out into the barn, unlatching the stall door to let Andy out.

Ben had followed me out and asked, "What are you doing?"

I turned to him. "If that's how you see things, then I think it would be best for me to leave, before I

cause you anymore hurt and impose on your hospitality any longer." I swung up onto my unicorn's

broad back and he started trotting down the aisle to the door, but halted just before leaving. "Please

thank your parents for me, and tell them I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye in person."

Ben started jogging after me, calling, "Wait, Rose! I didn't mean it! You don't have to leave, I'm sorry!"

I pulled Andy to a stop again and looked at him. I had a decision to make. I could forgive Benjamin and

go back inside to the warm, safe barn to keep eating good meals every day. Maybe I could grow up

(again) and marry Ben, and help him run the farm and have lots of children to keep us company and to

help us. It would be comfortable, easy.

But Ben wasn't Edmund, and Edmund was somewhere in England. I didn't think I could ever love

Benjamin the way I did Edmund, and it wouldn't be fair to either of us for me to settle for him. And if I

ever hoped to return to Narnia, I had to trust Aslan and find my family.

"I'm sorry Ben," I whispered. I bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "It's time for me to go anyway,

and you're right. I don't belong here. Goodbye." And then I squeezed Anduril's flanks ever so slightly,

and he was off at a canter into the night.

After that, I became more anxious to find Peter, Lucy, Susan, and Edmund. They were from Finchley, I

knew that much, and they went to boarding schools during the school year. But I had no idea where

Finchley was, or how to get there. But I had to find a way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Anduril and I set out to find the Pevensies in early May. I was riding him, my packs slung across his withers in front of me, pretending to be controlling him with the halter and rope reins he was wearing.

We traveled through the countryside, sleeping in barns and woods, and steadily making our way south west towards London. I asked for directions to London, and I was heading the right way. But the country seemed huge when you have to travel by horseback.

Several more months passed. Summer came with all of its heat and humidity, and then the leaves changed colors and dropped and autumn came. I would wake up in the morning with frost coating everything, sparkling in the early sunshine. The weather grew chillier and wetter. And I got closer to my destination.

I hoped that I would reach London and Finchley by Christmas, when the Pevensies would be home from their fall term at school. And as the weather grew colder and the first snow fell, I realized how close my deadline was.

I rode Anduril, shaggy in his winter fur, through a small town. Red and green lights twinkled in the windows; some people had left their Christmas decorations up even after the holiday had passed. A lump formed in my throat, and I became a little more homesick. Christmas had always been such a time of celebration at the Cair, and this year it had passed like any other day for me.

I found a post office and swung off of the unicorn, realizing what a sight I must be, riding a big white horse through town. I went inside to ask for directions. An elderly man with glasses was at the counter.

"Excuse me sir, but can you give me directions to Finchley?" I asked hopefully. He looked up and raised his bushy white eyebrows. My cheeks flushed a little redder.

"Uh, yes ma'am. Finchley's about fifteen miles southwest. If you take that road," he pointed out the window, "It will take you right into town."

I nodded and smiled. "Thank you very much." And then I quickly went back out into the cold and mounted Andy. We turned and cantered off down the road.

We went at a gallop. I was too eager to reach them. We passed small houses with snowmen out front, and they grew closer and closer together and bigger and bigger. The town turned into a city and the roads became more crowded. I felt the stares of pedestrians as I trotted down the street on a big white horse. The snow turned to gray slush in the street. I looked for somewhere I could ask about the Pevensies.

Finally I decided to try a taxi cab centre. I went inside and strode up to the desk. I cleared my throat, and the woman behind it looked up at me with a bored expression.

"Yes?" she asked in a monotone.

"Could you tell me where to find the Pevensie house? I'm afraid I don't know the address." She sighed and stood. She went into another room for several minutes. I waited impatiently, tapped my dirty fingernails on the countertop and looking around the room. Finally she returned with a slip of paper.

"Here are the addresses of anyone with name of 'Pevensie'. Will you need a cab?" I looked at the paper and my heart sank. There were six different addresses.

"No, thank you," I said and turned to go.

I spent that whole day going from house to apartment, asking about Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Edmund. I crossed off four addresses, but soon it got dark, and I had to find somewhere to spend the night. I found an alleyway with several big boxes, and I crawled inside one of them. Andy stood outside. I barely slept at all that night, wide awake with nervous excitement and the cold. Finally, night turned into gray dawn, and I quickly put away my blankets and set out again.

It took me half of the day just to find the fifth address. It was in a nicer part of town, not quite so dirty, with a little park nearby. But finally I found it. It was a brick townhouse with a gate leading up the sidewalk to the front. There was a small yard in the back, and I saw the door of a bomb shelter in the ground. I slid off of Andy and pushed open the gate. I stepped onto the front porch and lifted the door knocker. _Rap-rap-rap. _I noticed it was a lion's head, the ring to knock with held in its mouth. For a moment, I thought I saw its eyes look at me. But then the door opened, and a dark-haired middle-aged woman appeared. She took in my appearance with lifted eyebrows as she wiped her wet hands on her apron.

"Umm, is this the Pevensie home?" I asked tentatively.

She nodded. "Yes. And you are?"

"Well, if this is where Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy live, then I'm an old friend. Are they home?"

The housekeeper shook her head. "Well, this is where they live, but they just left for the train station this morning. They're headed back to school."

My heart plummeted. I asked shakily, "Which way is the train station?"

The woman looked worried. "It's down the road, that way. Toward the edge of town." She pointed and I nodded, thanking her. Then I turned and strode quickly back down the sidewalk and swung up onto Anduril. He quickly wheeled away and we galloped down the street, his ivory hooves clattering on the pavement.

We weaved through traffic, dodging honking cars and pedestrians. I ignored the shouts of a police, and continued my frantic gallop to the train station. I had to get to them in time. If not, I didn't know what I would do. I finally found it. I rode Andy right down the stairs into the station, leaping over the rails blocking people from getting to the train without a ticket.

People shouted and pointed as I rode desperately. A train whistled into the station. Andy nearly sat down on his haunches as he slid to a halt, both of us looking up and down the tracks for four children.

There they were! Suitcases in hand, they stood down to my right, waiting to board their train. I dug my heels into Andy's side and we raced down.

I shouted, "Wait! Don't get on the train! Peter! Susan! Over here!" They turned and looked strangely at me, as if they couldn't believe what they saw. I could understand that. But then something strange happened. Right as I was about to reach them, the train station began melting away. I felt a pinch, and like sand being blown out of your hand when you drop it, the scene disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

**Phew! Long chapter! Thanks for waiting for it. **** Also, thanks for the great reviews and for all of the subscriptions! It makes me want to keep writing when I know there are people who enjoy my stories. :D**

**Chapter Six**

I was temporarily blinded by sudden sunlight. I felt suddenly stronger, and the air was fresher, salty like from the sea. When I opened my eyes, I saw why. We were standing on a white beach, the sapphire waves of an ocean shimmering beside us. We were under a moss-covered natural stone arch. There were many others like it, and cliffs jutted behind us. I looked down and saw a spiral horn, shimmering silvery blue, growing out of the center of Anduril's head. I gasped and wondered how it could be, since his had been sawn off to save me from my would-be fatal wounds.

After a moment's silence, they all looked at me. Lucy spoke first. "Rose! How on earth did you find us?"

And they all started talking at once. They were all the same age as they had been when the first came to Narnia except that they had aged a year in England. Peter was nineteen, Susan was eighteen, Edmund was sixteen, and Lucy was thirteen.

I swung down off of my unicorn and hugged them all. "I came after you, of course," I said and grinned.

We all ran into the clear blue waves, splashing and playing. The boys rolled up their sleeves and tore off their jackets and other silly things, and the girls did the same. I dunked under the waves and scrubbed myself, self-conscious at how dirty I was. When I came back up, Edmund was staring strangely behind us.

"Where do you suppose we are?" He asked.

Peter laughed at him "Where do you think?"

But Edmund didn't laugh. "I don't remember there being any ruins in Narnia."

I turned and looked where he was pointing. High up on the white cliffs, stones and ruins of towers and walls were crumbling.

We hiked up the cliff and reached the ruins of an outside wall and courtyard. Inside, huge, gnarled old apple trees grew close together, their branches tangled in one another. I plucked down an apple, hungry after not eating for two days. I bit into it, savoring the crisp _crunch _and sweet juice that dribbled down my chin. I wiped it and finished the apple.

We explored the ruins thoroughly, and then Edmund cried out, "Look!" We hurried over to see what he was holding. It was a golden chess piece.

"It looks just like the knight in my chess set!"

Peter frowned. "Which chess set?"

Edmund rolled his eyes. "Well I hardly think I have a solid gold chess set in Finchley!"

Suddenly, my whole body grew cold. I looked around again, studying the layout of the building we were in. My heart lurched as I realized where we were, just before Lucy said it.

They all ran around, crying out, "Here was the Great Hall! Here was where the thrones sat! It's Cair Paravel!" I turned around, looking at the ruins of the castle.

"It's so old… A lot of time has passed. But it has only been a year!" I said more to myself than anyone else.

Edmund came up behind me. "If this is Cair Paravel, then shouldn't that door lead down to the treasure chamber?"

I nodded. We walked over to an old wooden door, covered in vines and chains. I peeled away some of the rotted wood. Then I went and got my sword out of the pack. Andy was munching on apples. Back at the door, I slashed the vines away and smashed in the decaying wood with the hilt. A dark tunnel with a staircase winding down yawned up at me. The air inside was very damp and stale, and it gave me shivers. I stepped back out.

Peter tore off a strip of his shirt and wrapped it around a stick. "Anyone have a match?"

Edmund answered, "No, but I have this," he pulled out a new flashlight. Peter threw down the stick.

"Well you might have told me that before!" he said with an exasperated smile. I laughed and followed them down into the gloom.

We counted down sixteen steps, exactly the same as there had been in Cair Paravel. At the bottom, Edmund shined his light around. It glinted off of all sorts of treasures; suits of armor, necklaces, bracelets, rings, bowls, dishes, ivory, and all sorts of gems and jewels. And along the far wall stood four chests. We were all silent for a moment. I felt a crushing weight as it all sank in. Hundreds of years had passed in Narnia. All of our friends were dead and long gone, and the country was so different.

Edmund broke the silence by saying that we were running down the battery and we'd better take what we needed and go. So Peter, Susan, and Lucy went and got their gifts from Father Christmas. I found some spare Narnian clothes so I could change out of my awful dress, some armor, a dagger, and a bow and quiver of arrows. I was surprised to see that the string was still good, and so was Susan when she found her own bow. But her horn was missing, which was quite a loss.

We went back up the stairs and managed to build a fire. We slept against one of the ruined walls, after eating roasted apples for dinner. I couldn't sleep well at first. It wasn't because of the fact that I was sleeping on the ground, because I had been doing that for a year now. But I just couldn't fall asleep yet.

I heard someone roll over and try to get more comfortable. I could only make out a black shadow nearby, but I thought it was Edmund.

"Edmund?" I whispered. "Are you awake?"

There was a second of silence, and then, "Yeah."

We sat in silence for awhile and then I asked, "Edmund…What happened?"

I didn't know what I meant, whether what happened to us, how they got back to England, or why Cair Paravel was in ruins. Apparently neither did he.

"I don't know, Rose. I don't know."

I waited, and then said, "I missed you. I didn't know what had happened, or if I would ever see you again." Then I added, "Any of you."

He was quiet. Then, in a whisper I could barely here over the chirping of the crickets, "I missed you too."

We were up with the sun the next morning and had apples again for breakfast.

"I'm sick of apples," I said, throwing my half eaten one down on the grass. The others nodded.

Edmund said what we were all thinking. "We have _got _to get out of here."

The six of us (Anduril was with us) walked down to the channel that cut the island we were on off from the mainland. We were debating about whether or not to swim it when we heard voices.

"Look!" Lucy pointed.

There was a small rowboat with two soldiers in it, one rowing and the other holding a bundle that was thrashing about and making muffled noises. 

"Here's far enough," said one, and the other nodded. They lifted the bundle up, and we saw that it was a dwarf, bound and gagged. There was a _twang _and a loud thud as Susan's arrow struck the side of the boat. She quickly strung another and shouted, "Drop him!"

They quickly obliged, tossing him into the water with a splash. Susan let the second air fly, finding its target in the chest of one soldier. He fell back into the water with a cry, and his companion leaped after him.

Peter ran and dove into the water after the dwarf while Edmund swam out to get the boat. They both dragged their burdens to the rocky beach, and then we rushed over to help the dwarf.

I bent down and cut the dwarf's bonds with my dagger, and he removed his gag, spluttering and fussing. I saw that he was a Red Dwarf. He stood up, brushing the sand off of his ragged clothes.

"Drop him?" He shouted angrily at Susan. "That's the best you could come up with?"

She looked back and forth between us and him. "A simple thank you would suffice," she answered, her pretty face creasing into a disbelieving frown.

"They were doing fine drownin' me without your help," the dwarf continued to glare.

Peter walked over, dripping and shaking the water out of his hair. "Maybe we should have let them," he said.

The dwarf turned his glare to him, and then Lucy asked, "Why were they trying to kill you anyway?"

The dwarf sighed and looked away. "They're Telmarines. That's what they do," he answered.

I exchanged glances with the others. Telmarines? Telmar had never had much contact with any of the other countries, mostly only battling civil war within itself in the Western Wilderness.

Edmund voiced our thoughts. "Telmarines? In Narnia?"

The dwarf scoffed at him. "Where've you been for the last few hundred years?"

Lucy laughed sadly. "It's a bit of a long story," she said softly.

The dwarf looked up at her sharply. His gaze slowly traveled from Lucy, to Susan, to Peter, and then resting on Edmund. I moved aside, away from the group. Realization dawned on his face, along with a new expression of what looked like… hopelessness.

"Oh, you've _got _to be kidding me!" he groaned. "You're it? You're the kings and queens of old?"

Peter stuck out his hand, introducing himself, "High King Peter, the Magnificent," he added. I snorted with laughter.

"Probably could've left off the last bit," I said with a grin.

The dwarf chuckled. "Probably," he said with a laugh.

Peter straightened back up, frowning slightly. "You'd be surprised," he said, drawing his sword and holding it out to the dwarf.

"Oohh, you don't want to do that, boy," said the dwarf.

Peter smiled. "Not me," he said, "him." He nodded toward Edmund.

My heart thudded inside my chest when Edmund drew his sword and took up his stance. I loved watching him duel.

The dwarf shook his head with disbelief, but took the sword anyway. When Peter released his hold, the weight of it caused him to let it fall to the sand. One side of Edmund's mouth quirked up, and he looked at us with raised eyebrows.

But then all of a sudden, the dwarf raised the sword effortlessly and took a swipe at Edmund's head. He jumped back, blocking the strike with his sword as they clashed together. The dwarf swiped again and Edmund ducked. The dwarf hit him with the hilt in the eyebrow, and he raised his hand to it.

"Edmund!" Lucy cried.

"Oh, are you all right?" the dwarf mocked, coming at him again. Edmund leaped around behind him and hit his back with his hilt. The dwarf paused, then came again, they're swords clanging together. Edmund sliced down at the dwarf's head, and he had to roll out of the way, chopping at Edmund's legs as he did so.

Edmund jumped into the air over the blade, the struck again. Their blades began to clang together repeatedly, up, down, up, down, up, down, up. And then suddenly the dwarf's sword was sailing through the air and Edmund was standing with his point hovering in front of his chest.

The dwarf stood, mouth open, in shocked disbelief. My body went warm with pleasure at seeing Edmund demonstrate his fencing skills. He had always been the best out of the five of us.

The dwarf sat in the sand, and then exclaimed, "Bitsy bedsticks! Maybe that horn worked after all."

We looked at each other in confusion. "What horn?" I asked.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

We rowed up through the inlet in the boat that the soldiers had been in, Anduril swimming alongside. As we rowed slowly through the clear blue water, I looked up at the trees on the tops of the cliffs on either side of us. The only movement among them was the wind ruffling their leaves.

"They're so still," I remarked to myself.

The dwarf, who'd introduced himself as Trumpkin, snorted in derision. "They're trees, what do you expect?"

Lucy looked at him sadly, almost in pity. "They used to dance."

Trumpkin was quiet a moment. "It wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those who survived retreated to the woods. The trees…retreated into themselves, and they haven't been heard from since."

Lucy shook her head. "I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?"

Trumpkin looked at her strangely. "Aslan? Thought he abandoned us when you lot did." Then he looked away, turning so that all I could see of him was his hairy head.

I sat in silence like the rest, my body numb.

The Narnians had been driven out after I had left. It was _my _fault. If I had stayed, and made sure everything was taken care of…But instead I had selfishly followed them back into England, leaving Tumnus and the Beavers in charge, telling myself that everything would be fine. But really, I had abandoned Narnia. And now look what had happened. I sat silently, the others not noticing how pale I'd grown.

Peter was the next to speak. "We didn't mean to leave, you know," he said over his shoulder as he rowed.

"It makes no difference now, does it?" said Trumpkin.

"Get us to the Narnians, and it will," Peter answered with finality, his jaw clenched.

We continued to row all morning and afternoon. At the deepest inland point, we rowed up to the pebbly beach and hopped out. Anduril trotted up onto the beach, shaking himself off like a great big dog. We dragged the boat up, and then Lucy wandered off a little ways.

"Hello there!," I heard her call cheerfully.

I frowned and glanced up to see her talking to a black bear that was rummaging around an old log. It spotted her and stood up on its back legs with a grunt. My eyes widened when I saw it wasn't a Talking Bear.

"It's all right, we're friends!" Lucy went on talking to it, walking forward. The bear dropped down onto all fours again, making huffing noises and growling.

Trumpkin looked up from what he was doing and cried, "Don't move, your Majesty!"

Lucy looked over her shoulder with a frown of confusion. While she had her back turned, the bear charged, moving with surprising speed for such a large, lumbering thing.

Lucy glanced at it with fear and turned to run. Trumpkin ran for the boat and his bow, and Susan raised hers.

"Stay away from her!" She cried as she pulled back the string.

I cried out as Lucy tripped on her long skirt, falling to the ground as the bear reared up over her, raising his paw to swipe at her with a roar.

Edmund, Peter, and I ran up from the boat as Edmund shouted, "Shoot, Susan, shoot!" Lucy screamed.

An arrow struck the beast in the chest and it roared in pain before falling over backwards, dead. Lucy quickly rolled over onto her stomach to look at Susan, her mouth open in shock. But Susan's arrow was still on the string. Behind her stood Trumpkin, his bow in hand and the string vibrating.

He dropped his bow and strode past Susan, who asked, "Why wouldn't he stop?"

Trumpkin didn't stop walking as he answered, "I expect he was hungry."

I ran over to where Lucy still lay in front of the bear with Peter and Edmund, our swords still drawn. Peter helped Lucy to her feet while Trumpkin and I circled to bear, the dwarf prodding at it with the tip of his miniature bow.

"Thanks," Lucy said softly from where she clung to Peter's arm.

Trumpkin looked up at her, raising one eyebrow before turning back to the bear.

"He was wild," I said in surprise after looking in the bear's eyes.

"I don't think he could talk at all," said Peter.

Trumpkin continued to look at the bear as he said, "You get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that's what you become." He knelt down in front of the bear, drawing his knife. "You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember."

As he skinned the body, I went and stood with Anduril, leaning into his mane to hide my tears a little better from the others, just like Lucy leaned into Peter's chest. While she cried for the poor dead bear, I cried for what Narnia had become because of what I'd done.

After Trumpkin had finished skinning the bear and taking as much meat as we could carry, we set off through the woods. Susan and Lucy took turns riding Anduril, who was burdened down with the bear meat and all of our extra clothes and water skins.

As we went, I tried to enjoy the forest. But it was so silent. None of the trees stirred except in a breeze, and there were no dryads or naiads drifting among the trunks, dancing to their natural forest music. No friendly Animals struck up a conversation. It was just quiet. Also, the trees had grown thicker and closer together, so the forest wasn't as sunny and bright as it had been in our time, with cheerful little wildflowers dotting the forest floor. Now there were just ferns and moss, and it was colder and damper.

"I don't remember this way," Susan said a few hours later, breaking the silence.

"That's the problem with girls; can't keep a map in their heads," Peter replied as he climbed over a boulder. I glared at him, and he quickly looked away, trying not to smile.

"That's because we actually have something _in _them!" I retorted with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. Edmund grinned as he walked along, keeping his eyes on the ground.

Susan whispered to me, "I wish he'd just listened to the DLF in the first place."

"DLF?" Edmund asked, jumping down from another boulder. We glanced at him and then each other, and Lucy explained, "Dear Little Friend," and then we ran on up to catch Peter.

Trumpkin stopped next to Edmund and said, "Oh, that isn't at all patronizing, is it?" Edmund only smiled and shook his head and continued walking.

Peter came to a wall of solid rock. He sighed in frustration and said to himself, "I'm not lost!"

"No," Trumpkin answered as we hopped down behind him. "You're just going the wrong way."

Peter turned and said sharply, "You said you last saw Caspian in the Shuttering Wood, and the quickest way there is to cross at the River Rush."

"Well, unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts," answered Trumpkin in irritation. The rest of us stood back, letting them argue between themselves.

"That explains it then. You're mistaken," snapped Peter, who turned and kept going.

We continued out of the rocks and through deer trails through the fern covered forest floor. After a little while longer, we heard a _ssssshhhhhh_-ing sound, which then grew to a dull roar. And then we finally came to the Rush. But instead of the meandering little stream I remembered, it was now at the bottom of a hundred-and-fifty foot deep chasm with sheer cliffs and a few trees lining the side.

We just stood at the edge, watching the white water rushing by below.

"The Rush wasn't in a canyon," Lucy remarked.

"Over time water erodes the earth's soil, carving deeper—" I began,

"Oh, shut up," Peter snapped.

"-Like that big canyon in America." I finished, throwing Peter a look.

Edmund sighed. "Is there a way down?" he asked Trumpkin.

"Yeah. Falling." The dwarf answered with a scowl.

We turned to look at him wearily.

"Well we _weren't _lost," Peter said.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. As long as he was right, he was a little bit happier.

"There's a ford near Beruna," said Trumpkin. "How do you feel about swimming?"

"It's better than walking," I sighed.

As we stood at the top trying to decide where to go from there, Lucy cried out, "Aslan!" and pointed at a spot on up this side of the gorge.

I whirled around to look, but there was nothing there.

"Don't you see, he's right—" Lucy stopped and her smile faded. "There."

"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin asked skeptically.

Lucy turned to look at him. "I'm not crazy, he was there! He wanted us to follow him!"

None of us knew what to believe, and we all just stood there, unsure. But when I looked at the certainty in Lucy's face, I believed that she really had seen him.

"I think she's telling us the truth. She did see Aslan," I said, standing beside her.

Peter sighed. "I'm sure there are any number of lions in these woods, just like that bear."

Lucy stood indignant. "I think I would know Aslan when I see him!" she protested.

Trumpkin spoke up next. "Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff for someone who doesn't exist!"

Edmund shuffled around and looked at his feet. "The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid."

Lucy and I smiled at him, but Peter only sighed and looked back and forth before asking, "Why wouldn't I have seen him?"

"Maybe you weren't looking," Lucy answered.

He looked down the cliff again before sighing. "I'm sorry Lu," he said, and then turned and began walking back into the forest.I put my arm around Lucy and followed, angry that Peter would be so stupid. Lucy never lied. And there's no mistaking Aslan for any old lion.

We hiked through the blasted woods all day, until we could hear the sounds of construction and running water. We crept out of the woods to find that the Ford of Beruna was abuzz with activity. The sounds of hammering, the felling of trees, sawing, and shouts of men filled the air as we peered over a pile of freshly cut logs.

The Telmarines were building catapults and war machines. Wagons dotted the rocky beach of the river among the piles of wood and other projects. And a little bit on down, I could see the beginnings of a bridge in the works.

We quickly ducked down behind the stack as several mounted soldiers trotted by. "Well this was the way to come, wasn't it Peter?" I snapped. If we had just listened to Lucy, we could have already been there.

After watching the Telmarines' progress for a few more moments, Peter turned and started moving back into the woods at a crouch. The rest of us followed, heading back to where Andy hid in a little ditch filled with brush.

We backtracked up the gorge to the spot where Lucy had seen Aslan.

"So where was it you think you saw Aslan?" Peter asked as we stood on the ledge.

Lucy whirled around to look at him and answered angrily, "I wish you'd stop trying to sound like grownups! I don't _think _I saw him, I _did _see him." She stomped through the ferns.

Trumpkin watched her go and then glanced at us. "I _am _a grownup," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Lucy was shuffling around the edge. "It was right over-" before she could finish, the earth where she had been standing crumbled away beneath her. With a scream, she disappeared. "Lucy!" We all cried and ran forward. Peering down over the edge, we saw her standing a few feet below. A path had been revealed, winding its way down the cliff.

"Here," she said shakily, as she looked back down.

We followed it down, but with some difficulty. Andy wasn't a mountain goat, and he had a very hard time navigating the extremely narrow path and numerous rocks. But finally we reached the bottom, crossed the shallow river, and climbed back up the path on the other side.

We found a clearing in the woods where the grass was thick like carpet, and we made camp. We made a small fire and ate apples and bear meat, and finally could go to sleep. Unlike the night before, I fell right to sleep, despite the damp coolness of the grass and forest. I wrapped myself tightly in my woolen blanket, resting my head on Andy's flank.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

I woke before dawn, when the light was still gray and the air had the crisp coolness of night. A light coating of dew dampened my blanket and my hair. I looked around, squinting at the dusky bundles sleeping around me. _Peter, Susan, Edmund, Anduril, Trumpkin…_Where was Lucy? I jumped up, grabbing my sword in its sheath. I woke the others, and we set out to look for her.

The dusky grayness was beginning to melt into early dawn when we found her. I heard the clanging of swords and shouting, and swung up onto Andy. We galloped toward the noise, and thundered into a clearing. Lucy was pressed up against a tree, and Peter was fighting another young man. He had long, dark brown hair and olive skin. He was dressed in Narnian armor, but was attacking Peter with all his might.

I was about to charge into the fight when others arrived. There was a minotaur, several centaurs, fauns, Dwarfs, and Talking Animals. We were surrounded. Peter's sword was stuck in a tree, but the other young man was also unarmed. Peter raised a rock to strike him when Lucy shouted, "No, stop!" They froze, and Peter looked around. In that moment, the other pulled the sword free and held it up, ready to run Peter through. I had mine out already, and I stepped forward, ready to protect him.

Peter spoke. "Prince Caspian?" he asked uncertainly, almost disbelieving.

"Yes. And who are you?" Caspian answered. He spoke in a strange accent, one that was definitely not Narnian.

Before Peter could answer, however, Susan and the other reached us. "Peter!" Susan cried.

Caspian looked down at the sword he was holding in awe. "High King Peter," he said as if he couldn't believe it.

Peter nodded. "I believe you called?"

Caspian frowned. "Yes, but…I thought you'd be older," he said, looking him up and down.

Peter raised his eyebrows. "Well if you'd like, we can come back in a few years," he answered sarcastically.

"No! It's all right…You're just not exactly what I expected." Prince Caspian looked at me. I stared back at him defiantly, and his gaze moved to Susan. She stared back, and I saw the corners of her mouth twitch. _Hmmm._

Then Edmund spoke up. "Neither are you," he said, frowning a bit.

Then a Badger across the clearing said, "A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes."

I was about to nod when my attention was caught by a curious sight. A Mouse, who stood about a foot tall, scurried forward. He wore a red feather behind his ear and a rapier was in his paw.

"We have long awaited your return my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service," he said to Peter. He was rather cute, but I highly doubted he would like it if I pointed that out.

As if to prove my point, Lucy leaned over and whispered to Susan, "He's so cute!"

The Mouse whipped around angrily and demanded to know, "Who said that?"

Lucy shuffled her feet. "Sorry," she said.

The Mouse immediately looked ashamed at his outburst. "Oh, Your Majesty, with all due respect, I do believe _courteous _or _chivalrous _or _courageous_ would be more fitting for a knight of Narnia," he said, putting away his needle of a sword.

A smile tugged at my mouth, but I quickly hid it, making my face stony and expressionless again.

Peter chuckled at the Mouse. "At least _some _of you can handle a blade," he said pointedly.

Caspian frowned. "Yes indeed. We have been securing weapons for _your _army, sire."

Peter nodded, turning back to Caspian. "Good. Because we are going to need every sword we can get."

"Well then. You will probably be wanting yours back," Caspian said in his strange accent as he handed back Peter's sword. Peter took it silently, sliding it into the scabbard with a scrape. I could feel the tension between the two; the air hummed with it. I reluctantly put my own sword away, climbing back onto Andy and following the others.

We rode through the woods to Caspian's camp. I heard Trumpkin telling his friends about us, and I had to chuckle quietly. We came to the edge of the woods. A wide, vast meadow spread out in front of us, and a huge mound looked out of the ground. Aslan's How was a mountain of stone and trees and dirt, full of tunnels that ran all through it and under the meadow.

As we entered, centaurs lined the walkway, raising their swords above our heads. I dismounted Anduril and hung back. Susan, Peter, Lucy, and Edmund walked ahead, leaving me and Caspian behind. After waiting a moment, we continued, followed by the Dwarfs and the Badger. I passed a young centaur boy whose father raised his drooping arm up from its former position. I smiled.

We entered the cool darkness of the tunnels. Everything was a flourish of activity, preparing for battle.

"It may not be what you are used to, but it is defendable," Caspian apologized.

I was about to assure him that it was fine, when Susan called out, "Peter. You may want to see this."

We wandered over to where she was holding a torch up to the tunnel walls. They were covered in carving and paintings. "It's us," Susan said, pointing at an etching of the four of them sitting on their thrones in Cair Paravel. I bit my lip when I saw another of a girl with a thick red braid wielding a sword astride her unicorn. _They remembered me._

"What is this place?" Lucy asked.

Caspian looked at us. "You don't know?" He asked incredulously. He took a torch from the wall and led us through the tunnels. As we went, I ran my fingers over a painting of a faun, standing by a lamp post, umbrella in hand.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine **

Caspian led us into a cavernous room and lit oil in a trough that ran all the way around the space. We watched in awe as the room was lit, bathing everything in a warm golden glow.

Before us stood the ruins of the Stone Table, where Aslan had died to save Edmund. Surrounding it were ornate sculptures and golden reliefs on the walls of fauns and Animals and Aslan. Lucy went forward and ran her hands along the cool stone of the ancient cracked table. I hung back in silence with Edmund.

"He must know what he's doing," Lucy said, turning to the rest of us. We all looked at the image of Aslan standing behind the table.

Peter spoke. "I think it's up to us now." I just stared at him, wondering how he could lose his faith so quickly. I glanced around at everyone else's faces. Caspian's was blank, Susan's wore a look of pity for Lucy, Lucy looked sad and angry, and Edmund was frowning a bit. But no one disagreed.

We slept in makeshift bedrooms, which were really just small sections of one large room, divided by blankets. We slept on piles of blankets and straw, the girls on one side, the boys on the other. It was better than what I had had in a year, but I needed to be alone with Edmund. I was determined to tell him I loved him, but it seemed like we were never alone. He was always with Peter and Caspian planning or overseeing preparations.

We gathered around the Table for a meeting a few days after our arrival at the How. One of the fauns posted as a sentry had spotted a spy on horseback at the edge of the woods.

"It's only a matter of time," Peter said. "Miraz's men and war machines are on their way." Here he paused, looking around at all of us. "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

Reepicheep, the Mouse, spoke up. "What do you propose we do, Your Majesty?" He asked eagerly. Caspian and Peter spoke at the same time. They looked at each other. After a moment, Caspian nodded shortly and looked away.

"Our only hope," Peter continued, "Is to strike them before they strike us."

"But that is crazy," Caspian answered. "No one has _ever _taken that castle."

Peter shrugged. "There's always a first time."

Trumpkin agreed. "We have the element of surprise."

"But we have the advantage _here," _Caspian argued.

Susan stepped up behind him. "If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely," she said. I raised my eyebrow. Peter stared at her.

"I, for one, feel safer underground," said Trufflehunter the Badger.

Peter shook his head, turning back to Caspian. "Look. I appreciate what you've done here, but this isn't a fortress. It's a tomb."

Edmund jumped in from where he sat on a stone block next to me. "If they're smart, the Telmarines can just wait and starve us out." I nodded in agreement.

Pattertwig the Squirrel chirped up. "We can store nuts!" He suggested zealously.

"Yes! We can throw them at the Telmarines!" Reepicheep said with mock enthusiasm. "Shut up," he finished. The Squirrel flinched.

"I think you know where I stand, sire," the Mouse said to Peter.

Peter turned to the centaur general, Glenstorm. "If I get your troops in, do you think you can handle the guards?"

The centaur answered in his deep voice, "Or die trying, my liege." I shivered, but not from the cool dampness of the room.

"That's what I'm worried about," Lucy said quietly from where she sat on the Table.

Peter looked at her through narrowed eyes. "Sorry?"

"Well you're all acting like there's only two options: die here, or die there," she answered.

"I don't think you've really been listening Lu," Peter brushed her off.

But Lucy wasn't finished. "No, you're not listening! Or have you really forgotten who defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

After a moment's silence in which he clenched and unclenched his jaw, Peter said, "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough," and then turned and left. I chewed my bottom lip, trying not to yell angrily at him for how stupid he was being.

I turned and looked at Lucy, who was trying not to cry. Edmund's face was clouded with frustration, but he also knew that he couldn't do anything to change Peter's mind. I clenched and unclenched my fists, and then turned and left to go and tend to Andy.

I stood mounted on my unicorn, in full armor and with my sword and pike. I squinted as I scanned the night sky nervously for the griffon that was carrying Edmund silently. I saw a shadow flit above us, and knew that must be him. I followed it to the tower where it dropped him. I saw him flash his electric torch three times, signaling the rest of the griffons to move in, carrying Peter, Caspian, and Susan.

I looked over to Glenstorm, and he nodded. We lifted our pikes and began leading the army forward at a walk from the edge of the forest outside the castle and city walls. I knew that right now, Reepicheep was leading his Mice through the castle to take care of the guards on the inside.

Edmund flashed his light again, and I saw the three shadows above the castle dive down behind the walls. As we marched forward towards the gates slowly, I thought about Edmund. If either of us died tonight, he would never know. I had nearly told him the night before.

I had found him in the big room where we all sleep. "Edmund, I have to tell you something." He looked up, and my heart thudded harder.

"Yes, Rosie? What is it?" Only he called me Rosie. It made me smile a little. "I-" but I was cut off by the entrance of Trumpkin and Trufflehunter, who told Edmund that Peter needed to talk to him about the invasion of the castle.

"We'll talk later, all right?" He asked me. I nodded, swallowing heavily, and he left.

I was jerked back to the present by Anduril shaking his mane. I said a quick prayer to Aslan, asking him to keep us all safe tonight. As the clock struck out a warning, I saw Edmund's light waving around. I narrowed my eyes in a frown of confusion. _What does that mean?_ We waited nervously, knowing that time was running out. But we couldn't go without the signal.

Finally, as we heard the shouts of soldiers coming from the castle walls, Edmund flashed us the signal. Glenstorm reared up high, and cried out at the top of his lungs "Charge!" I yelled "For Narnia and for Aslan!" and we charged forward. Our hooves clattered on the stone of the bridge, and the guards in front us of turned and ran. A Minotaur raced ahead and smashed open the smaller gate with his horns, snorting and roaring. We galloped through the main gate, swords and pikes raised, yelling battle cries.

I vaguely remember Peter crying "For Narnia" before he joined us. Anduril jumped over several soldiers as I sliced and slashed with my pike. My unicorn stabbed straight through the armor of several soldiers and then tossed them off of the tip of his now bloody horn. Glenstorm smashed through several lines of men. Mice darted around boots and hooves, stabbing the enemy in the foot to bring them down. I let instinct take over, my ears filled with the screams of the dying, the clash of weapons, the battle cries of both sides.

Susan stabbed arrows into the enemy, flinging them like knives. Fauns scaled the walls, making their ways up to the next level of the castle, hoping to infiltrate the heart. But Miraz's men lined the walls, aiming down at us with their wicked crossbows. I saw Edmund slide down a roof, knocking one of them off. But then all of the others turned and fired at him. I screamed, but he miraculously dodged them all and slammed a door behind him. I turned my attention back to the fighting all around me, praying that Edmund would be all right.

I fought with all my strength, but my arms were beginning to ache, and I had several wounds. None were anything to worry about, but they still hurt and sapped my strength. I ripped off my helmet, using it to smash in the face of a Telmarine before flinging it away. As usual, several of the soldiers I was fighting looked shocked to see I was a woman. This worked to my advantage, and I used their momentary surprise and reluctance to kill a woman to get rid of them. As I surveyed the battle around me, I realized with a sinking feeling that we weren't going to come out of this victorious. We'd be lucky to get out alive.

A clanging sound caught my attention, and I realized that they were shutting the gate. I ran towards it, trying to fight my way through the hordes to stop them. But a minotaur had already reached it. With a roar, he held it on his brutish shoulders, struggling to keep it open for the rest of us to escape. I looked around, panicking.

Peter called, "Fall back!" I continued to slash and fight anyone who attacked me, slowly making my way to the gate. Glenstorm cantered by, reaching out to pull Susan up onto his back. Peter was desperately trying to get everyone to leave. The minotaur under the gate bellowed again as the gate crushed him, and he struggled to lift it high enough for the centaurs to race under. I screamed to any Narnians remaining, trying to get them to leave.

"Get out! The gate's closing! Retreat!" A few didn't listen, and they continued to fight. Caspian broke out of the stables on a black Friesian horse, leading another mount for Peter. I whistled shrilly for Anduril, and I swung onto his broad white back as he galloped past and Peter leaped onto the bay gelding's.

We raced between those that were still fighting, calling, "Fall back! Retreat! It's over! Fall back!" I searched for Edmund in the crowd, but I saw no sign of him. I fought down the sickening panic that was rising.

Miraz shot the minotaur holding up the gate with arrow after arrow, but the creature refused to let it fall just yet. I knocked a Telmarine soldier out of the way as we galloped for the gate. As soon as we were under, the bull-headed man collapsed, the gate crushing him and trapping those that hadn't heeded our warnings. I leaned back on Andy, who sat back on his haunches and slid as he wheeled around to see the desperate fighters calling for help from behind the bars. Tears spilled out of my eyes, and I wanted to go back so badly. Peter was sitting astride his horse as well, his eyes taking in the horrific sight he was leaving behind. I looked at Glenstorm, whose son was still behind that gate.

He nodded gravely at us, and I gave them one last look before digging in my heels. "Peter! The bridge!" someone called from farther down. I turned and looked, and saw the drawbridge raising up.

"Peter! Come on!" I smacked his horse's rump, sending it flying forward.

We galloped forward, him right ahead of me. His bay horse jumped the small gap opening up with ease, but by the time I reached it, it was already fifteen feet across. I growled at Anduril as he ran up the wood, and he launched himself off of the end. We sailed through the air, landing hard on the stone on the other side. As we galloped down the road leading from the castle, I stole one last look back at the gates. The drawbridge pulled up, and I glimpsed the trapped Narnians turning back to face the Telmarines, and their deaths.

**I know, very sad, very depressing. But no good story is without its angst and misery, right? And what about Edmund? Did he die?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

As we galloped back to the How, I scanned the dark skies with a rising panic. I could feel it coming up my throat, bitter and suffocating. _Where was Edmund? _But then I heard the beating of colossal wings, and I looked back over my shoulder to see Edmund crouched over the back of his griffon. I fought back tears of relief, and let myself smile. _Thank you for keeping him safe, Aslan. _

The ride back to the How that night was awful, but it was nothing compared to our arrival. We arrived at dawn, bloodstained, grimy, and a million years older. I swung down off of Anduril as Lucy ran out of the mound to meet us, a smile on her face. But it vanished when she saw how many returned.

"What happened?" She asked, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Peter nodded at Caspian, his face betraying his anger. "Ask him," he spat.

"Peter!" Susan reprimanded him.

"Me?" Caspian asked. "You could have called it off; there was still time!"

"But there wasn't, thanks to you," Peter shot back. "If you had just kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now."

"And if you'd just stayed here like _I _suggested, they _definitely _would be!"

Peter was livid. "You called _us, _remember?"

Caspian clenched his jaw. "My first mistake," he said tightly.

"No. You're first mistake was thinking you could lead these people," Peter answered, his face red and contorted in fury.

I sucked in my breath. I didn't want this right now. Not after everything that had happened.

"Hey!" Caspian cried. Peter turned and faced him. "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia," Caspian said, his voice shaking with rage.

It felt like he had punched me in the gut. I couldn't breathe. I sank to my knees, trembling. Edmund knelt beside me. "Rose, are you all right?" He asked, his brow knit together in worry. I shook my head as Peter and Caspian went on.

"You _invaded _Narnia! You have no more right to rule than anyone else does! Not you, your father-" Peter shouted after Caspian. Caspian stopped. "Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"

Caspian turned around, yelling in rage as he drew his sword. Peter's was out as well and they clashed.

"Stop it!" Edmund and I screamed at once. They stopped and looked at us. They lowered their swords as Glenstorm carried Trumpkin forward and laid him on the ground. Lucy rushed forward with her cordial. I knelt beside the Dwarf, barely noticing Nikabrik following Caspian into the tunnel. Glenstorm's wife sobbed over her lost sons.

Lucy dropped a few drops of the elixir into Trumpkin's mouth, and he breathed again. He opened his eyes, looking around at our anxious faces staring down at him.

"What are you all standing here for? Telmarines will be here soon enough." Lucy smiled and got to her feet. Before she went, Trumpkin said, "Thank you, my dear little friend." She grinned and turned to go. Edmund and I helped him to his feet.

That evening, I sat stirring the small fire I'd started outside the How. I poked it with a charred stick, staring into the dancing flames. My mind was wandering and I was deep in thought, so I didn't notice the approaching footsteps until he was right there.

I looked up. "Hey," I said, poking a leaf into my flame.

"Hey," Edmund said as he sat next to me. He studied me for a moment, and then stared into the fire, finding another stick to poke into it. We sat in comfortable silence for a while before he spoke. "Rosie…Earlier, when Pete and Caspian were fighting…what happened? Why did you…fall…down like that?" He looked at me again, concern in those chocolate eyes rimmed in such long lashes.

"It was what Caspian said. About abandoning Narnia." Edmund turned back to the fire, stabbing his stick into it.

"Do you think we left on purpose?" He asked me softly.

I shook my head vigorously, my heart pounding. "No, that's not it at all. I know how you got back. It's not _your _fault everything is like this."

He looked at me again, tilting his head sideways. "Are you saying that it's _your _fault?" A tear slipped down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away, but Edmund had already seen it. "Rosie, it's _not _your fault!" He put his arm around me. Even in my misery, it still made my heart beat faster with pleasure. I sniffed.

"But it _is _Edmund. Do you know what happened after you left?" He frowned but said nothing, prompting me to tell him. I went on.

"I came back from the Lone Islands three days after you had disappeared. Everyone was panicked that their beloved kings and queens had vanished without a trace. I was…distraught, to put it lightly." I took another breath, and then continued, refusing to look at his face, keeping my eyes on the fire.

"The Calormenes heard that Narnia was without leadership, and they invaded immediately. We assembled an army as quickly as possible, and Tumnus, Fireheart, and I led them into battle." Edmund was lightly rubbing my back now, and I could barely focus. "A Calormene stabbed me through the back. I almost died, but Andy gave his horn to heal me. After I recovered, nearly two weeks had gone by since you left." I was shaking now.

"I…I left Tumnus and the Beavers and Fireheart behind to take care of Narnia, and I went to the Lamp Post. I met Aslan there, and he gave me a choice. I chose to abandon Narnia when they needed me so that I could find you again. Even though I knew I should have stayed, I left them. If I had stayed, and married and left an heir, maybe things would be different. The damned Telmarines wouldn't have been able to overpower Narnia. But I was selfish and I left." I was crying hard now, and Edmund gave me a hug.

"Rose, it's not your fault. It's okay. Eveything's going to be fine…" He kept murmuring to me until I stopped crying. I wiped the tears from my face and sniffed.

Before I could chicken out again, I heard myself whispering, "I love you," to him. So that I couldn't see how he reacted, I leaned my head into that place between his neck and his shoulder.

"I've loved you for so long, it seems ridiculous. And I know you don't love me back, but I had to tell you in case I don't survive the next battle. That's why I came home from the Lone Islands, why I disobeyed you at Anvard, why I left Narnia." I stopped, sitting back up and starting to stand. "I—I'm sorry, I have to go—" I started to leave.

But he stopped me. "Rose," he whispered, looking at me, his dark eyes burning. Then he leaned into me, and my eyes fluttered closed. He kissed me gently, his lips soft and warm. His eyelashes brushed against my tearstained cheeks, and I leaned into him, putting my arms around his neck. His hand moved up to the back of my neck, tilting my head closer to him. He pressed harder, and the kiss deepened. He ran his thumb softly across my face. Then he pulled away. He rested his forehead against mine and whispered, "I love you too."

I woke to find myself very disoriented. The sun was just beginning to rise, but I knew this was wrong. It should be dark in the tunnels, with only firelight. I blinked a few times and rose up on my arm. I was lying in the grass outside of the huge mound, next to a bed of coals. Edmund was next to me, his chest rising and falling as he slept. I yawned, remembering last night with a small smile. But then I recalled our defeat at the castle, and despair filled my chest again. I sat up, brushing off bits of grass and then gently shaking Edmund.

"Wake up, Edmund. We need to go find Peter and talk with the others." He groaned and rolled onto his back. He stretched and yawned, and then sat up, his hair a mess and with bits of grass stuck in it.

We went into the How, asking where Peter and Caspian were. We were pointed to the room of the Stone Table. When we entered, Peter and Caspian were arguing again.

"No, I really don't think-" Peter broke off when he noticed us. He opened his mouth to greet us, but closed it again, looking at us. I blushed when I realized that he noticed. We were standing closer than we should be, Edmund's hand brushing mine gently. Peter's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, and I saw something flit across his face. Caspian just stood silently, observing our silent exchange. Finally Peter broke the silence.

"Well. Where have you been all night?" I chewed my lip, casting my gaze down at the slabs under my feet. Edmund stiffened beside me. Neither of us spoke, which answered his question. He clenched his jaw, cracking his knuckles as he stared at us a few more agonizing seconds.

Finally he broke the silence. "So," he said softly, looking at me. "You chose _him._ He was the reason you didn't want me." Everything was still as death. No one moved, except for their eyes darting back and forth. "Peter, that was fifteen years ago!" I cried. His jaw worked as if he were about to say something else, but he just turned back to Caspian. I wanted to say more, but instead I turned and strode away down the tunnels.

**Yay! I'm sure ya'll are glad they finally professed their love and kissed and all that stuff now, aren't you? Glad to satisfy you ****. (Oh, and by the way, nothing occurred by that fire that was anything but G rated stuff, ok? Ok ;D)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**~Edmund~**

When I saw her sitting there all alone by the fire, staring forlornly into the flames, I knew she was probably blaming herself. She had always been like that, taking the blame upon herself, feeling guilty for everybody else, plus herself. I had to talk to her, to make sure she saw that it wasn't her fault those soldiers had died.

After we exchanged greetings, I asked her something that had been bothering me all day. When Caspian and Peter had been battling it out between themselves, something one of them had said had sent her to her knees, in tears. When I asked her, she told me it was Caspian's accusation about abandoning Narnia.

I was suddenly afraid that she might think that I had left her on purpose, that I had grown tired of Narnia and wanted to go back to England. I voiced my concerns and she reassured me that she didn't blame us at all. I was momentarily relieved before I found that she put the blame for everything that had happened to Narnia and her inhabitants.

She told me about the events that had happened in the weeks after we had returned. I felt my heart pound harder when she told me about her injury and brush with death, and found myself wondering what I would have done had she died, and I never saw her again.

But then suddenly she was in tears as I tried to reassure her, and then she said those three words, "I love you." And as she went on about how long she had loved me and how she knew I didn't return her feelings, I felt the blood rushing in my ears and my heart pounding right out of my chest. _She loves me, she loves me, she loves me. _All those years…

And suddenly I realized I loved her too. For the past year I had thought about her nearly every night, my greatest companion, and the regret I felt at leaving her behind in Narnia, without a proper goodbye. I had loved her for such a long time, and had never dared to acknowledge it until now, when she made me see.

This crushing realization that my obliviousness had caused her so much pain over fifteen years prompted me to tell her that I loved her too, I always had. I whispered her name to her to stop her and took her tear-streaked face in my hands and kissing her pink lips softly, gently. She eagerly kissed me back and our mouths moved together, exploring. I savored the taste of her, wanting more. I pressed her to me harder, kissing her for another moment before breaking contact with her lips. I stroked her soft, freckled cheek with my calloused thumb and whispered the words back to her, hoping she realized how much I truly meant them.

**~Rose~**

Peter avoided me, and when I tried to meet his eyes at dinner that night, he looked right through me as if I weren't there. But I confronted him after the meal in one of the tunnels leading to the armory.

"Peter!" I called, grabbing his shoulder. He stopped and stiffened. "Peter, please talk to me," I pleaded.

He turned to face me, stony-faced. "What?" He asked sharply. "Do you want to rub it in my face? That you chose my own brother over me?"

"Peter it wasn't like that-"

"How long?" He interrupted.

"W-what?" I stammered, taken aback.

"How long have you…loved him?" he asked. I looked away. "How long?" He demanded.

"Since the battle between us and the Witch," I whispered.

"So you never even gave me a chance all those years? Because you already had your heart set on him? Even though he never felt the same." Peter's words hurt, and like any other pain, they made me angry.

My face flushed red with anger. "Why are you being such a child? It's been sixteen years, can't you move on?"

"What do you mean, like _you've _moved on?" We were shouting now.

"You may be a king, but you can't tell me who I can and can't fall in love with!" Peter glared at me. His jaw worked as he tried to find something to retort back. I softened a little. "Peter, I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't know you still felt that way about me, and I'm not trying to rub your face in it. But can we please just…move on? We can't be fighting like this. We need to focus on what we are going to do to help Caspian and to defeat the Telmarines."

He stared off over my shoulder, but nodded. "Fine," he whispered and said goodnight. I still felt the tension, but it seemed lessened.

I found Edmund sitting on the Stone Table. He was leaning forward with his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the image of Aslan.

"Edmund?" I asked softly, making sure it was okay if I came in. He straightened up and looked around and smiled. I went and sat next to him. He put his arm around me, and I leaned into him. I felt safe and content in his embrace. But in reality, there was a possibility I wouldn't live through the next battle. And then there was still the whole thing with Peter. Thinking of him made me feel guilty to be so comfortable and happy with Edmund.

We spent several hours in the huge room. We lay back on the stone, talking quietly and kissing. We wanted spend as much time together before we fought the Telmarines as possible, in case our days were numbered. We also didn't get many private moments together, so it was nice.

Edmund and I only had three days of these private moments before another frightful event took place. We were all stressed and worried, and spirits were low. We had lost many fighters at the castle, and our numbers were a third of Miraz's. So when there might be a way to turn things to your favor, it's hard to resist. I guess this is what Caspian was thinking when Nikabrik came to him one evening.

Caspian told me afterwards that Nikabrik took him to the room of the Table. From the shadows emerged a hooded figure with a wolfish snout protruding. Caspian drew his sword, ready to defend himself.

"Who's there?" He asked tensely.

A rasping voice answered. "I am hunger. I am thirst. I can fast for a hundred years and not die. I can lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze." At the same time as the cloaked one spoke, a creature with a beak hobbled forward. "I can drink a river of blood and not burst. Show. Me. Your ENEMIES!" the one in the hood rasped, flinging back the cloak. It had a wolf's head and thick hair all over its body and walked hunched over in the body of a man. It was a werewolf.

Then the Hag spoke. "What you hate, show me. No one hates better than us." It screeched.

Caspian hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "And you can guarantee Miraz's death?"

The Hag nodded and bowed a sweeping bow. "And more…" Caspian nodded and put away his sword. Nikabrik smiled and then the Hag said gleefully, "Let the circle be drawn!" The wolf man scraped a claw along the floor as the Hag chanted.

And then, the circle having been completed, the Hag stabbed a jagged silver wand into the steps, the same silver wand the Witch used years ago to turn people into stone. Upon contact with the steps, ice burst out and spread up between the arches, forming a thin wall of ice that glowed with an eerie blue light. The room grew frostily cold.

Caspian told me he tried to stop it as he stared into the figure materializing on the other side. "Wait," he said, his voice trembling. "This isn't what I wanted." He started to back away. But the werewolf snarled and grabbed his arm, holding it out.

"One drop," the Witch spoke, her voice warped by the ice wall. "One drop of Adam's blood, and you free me." Nikabrik drew a knife. "Then I am yours, my king," Jadis said with a cold smile.

The Hag sliced through Caspian's palm as he cried, "No!" Blood seeped from the cut. Jadis reached a pale hand through the barrier, and Caspian grew weak as he fell into a sort of trance. He quit resisting so much.

That was when Peter, Lucy, Trumpkin, Edmund, and I arrived. We had been searching for Caspian since he had been absent at dinner. We heard his cry from the hall and ran into the room.

"Stop!" Peter yelled. The wolf man let go of Caspian and leaped at Edmund over the table, but he ducked and the creature sailed over him. It turned back to face him, snarling viciously. Peter went for the Hag, and they struggled for a moment before Peter went down. His arm smashed against the Table and knocked his sword from his hand.

Edmund slashed at the werewolf and it charged forward, knocking him down as it snapped at his legs. But as it knocked Edmund over its own body, he slit his blade across its stomach, and it fell to the ground with a howl. I jumped off of the Table, bringing my blade down at an angle to chop through the Hag's thick neck. Her body crumpled.

Lucy's cry from behind me made me whip around to see Nikabrik twisting her arm behind her back. She had come up behind the Black Dwarf with her knife at his throat, but he had grabbed her arm and now had his own knife poised to run her through. At the same time, the wolf man was up again and bounding after Edmund. Edmund ran and jumped off of the table, turning in midair to slash his blade down through the wolf's skull.

I turned back to see Lucy scooting backwards away from Nikabrik, who was coming at her with his knife. But as he raised it to kill her, Trumpkin put his own through his friend's back. Nikabrik fell forward onto his knees, and then to the ground.

All the while, Caspian was still hypnotized by the Witch, whose arm was stretched all the way to her shoulder now. Caspian was reaching out slowly, but then Peter ran and knocked him out of the way.

"Get away from him!" he shouted at Jadis. She pulled back briefly.

But then she gave him a small smile and said, "Peter, dear. I've missed you. Come. Just one drop." Peter slowly lowered his sword, his eyes fixed on hers. She reached back out. "You _know _you can't do this alone." He lowered his sword the rest of the way, but suddenly a jagged crack appeared through her abdomen.

Jadis gasped and threw her head back, as if in pain. A sword point appeared through the ice and it shattered like glass. Caspian and Peter ducked while Lucy, Trumpkin, and I blinked as if awakening suddenly.

Where the wall of ice had been Edmund stood, his sword raised above his head. Peter and Caspian stood up. Before either of them could say anything, Edmund said, "I know. You had it sorted." And then turned and strode away. I quickly stood and went after him after Susan arrived on the scene, a bit too late.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The next evening, I found Peter sitting in the room of the Stone Table, his arms around one knee, staring up at the image of the Great Lion. I went and sat next to him.

"Lucy's lucky, you know," he said.

I looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Still looking at Aslan, he answered. "To have seen him. I wish he'd given me some sort of proof."

I looked at the relief of Aslan and then back at Peter. "Maybe we're the ones who need to prove ourselves to him." He glanced at me and then back up at the doorway where Edmund appeared. He strode towards us, and I could tell something was wrong.

"Pete," he said. "You'd better come quickly." We both got up and followed him.

We joined Caspian on one of the many ledges looking out over the field. At the edge of the forest, Miraz's army had gathered. They were marching toward the How, all wearing silver masks and helmets that looked like Miraz's face. They carried shields and wicked spears and pikes. Several big Friesian horses like Caspian's Destrier pulled their catapults. The horsemen rode out to the front of the army. I located Miraz on a big white stallion. He and his horse wore golden armor as opposed to the silver of the rest of the soldiers. We all looked back and forth at each other.

We went back into the How to talk about our plan. Trumpkin hated the idea.

"Sending a little girl into the darkest parts of the forest, alone? That's our next big plan?" he exclaimed.

"It's our only chance!" Peter said.

Susan spoke up. "And she won't be alone."

Trumpkin looked at all of our faces. "Haven't enough of us died already?" He said pleadingly. I could tell he wasn't talking just about the castle.

Apparently so could Trufflehunter. "Nikabrik was my friend too. But he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't, and neither have I." They both looked to Peter.

Reepicheep crossed his paw in front of his chest and said, "For Aslan."

One of the Bulgy Bears echoed in his deep, dumb voice, "For Aslan." We all looked back to Lucy and Trumpkin.

"Then I'm going with you," the Dwarf said.

"No, we need you here," Lucy said softly.

"We have to hold them off 'til Lucy and Susan get back," Peter agreed.

"If I may," Caspian broke in from across the room where he was sitting with his tutor. "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer, but as king, he will be subject to the traditions and expectations of his people." He said in his Telmarine accent. After a pause, he went on. "There is one, in particular, that may buy us some time." He explained about a duel between Miraz and Peter. Peter drafted a letter and sent Edmund, one of the Bulgy Bears, a giant, and me on Andy to deliver it to the enemy.

We were led into Miraz's tent. The giant and Bear waited with my unicorn outside, but I followed Edmund in, my sword drawn and ready. I heard several snickers form the general and the king at the sight of my in my armor. But I kept my face cold and expressionless, ignoring their comments about my braids.

Edmund unrolled the parchment and read Peter's letter. "I, Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election and by conquest, High King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel, and Emperor of the Lone Islands, in order to prevent the abominable profusion of blood hereby challenge Miraz, to single combat upon the field of battle. The fight shall be to the death, the reward shall be total surrender." He rolled the parchment up again, eyebrows raised expectantly.

Miraz sat stonily glaring at us. "Tell me, Prince Edmund-"

"King," Edmund interrupted.

Miraz's eyebrows went up a few inches. "Pardon me?"

"It's _King _Edmund, actually," Edmund corrected him. I felt my lips twitch briefly into a smile. The generals glared at me, and my face became passive again. "Just King, though. Peter's the High King," Edmund went on, using the roll of parchment to punctuate his words. "I know," he said kindly, "It's confusing." I broke into a real smile this time, one corner of my mouth rising up with my eyebrow. Miraz scowled.

Ignoring Edmund's remarks, he went on. "Why would you risk such a proposal, when our armies outnumber you by a thousand?"

"Haven't you already underestimated us enough?" Edmund said with a sigh. "I mean, only a week ago, Narnians were extinct."

"And so you would be again," Miraz scowled. I glared at him, feeling my hatred for the tyrant growing by the second.

But Edmund just shrugged. "Well then you would have little to fear."

This sent him into laughter. "This is not a question of bravery."

Edmund raised an eyebrow. "So you're _bravely _refusing to fight a swordsman half your age," he said with a small smile. I fought the urge to laugh. This was where Edmund's negotiating skills would come in. I saw Miraz stiffen.

Then he leaned forward. "I didn't say I refused."

_Ha, we've got him, _I thought.

Then one of his advisors spoke up. "You shall have our support, Your Majesty, whatever your decision."

This inspired another to put in his support. "Sire, our military advantage provides the perfect excuse to avoid-" At the word "excuse" Miraz jumped to his feet, sword drawn. I immediately had mine drawn, ready to protect Edmund. But he was angry at his own.

"I am not avoiding _any_thing," he spat.

The man leaned back a little. "I was merely pointing out that my Lord is well within his rights to refuse," he said, gesturing to Edmund and me.

And then a general standing to my left made the statement, "My Lord would never refuse." We had him. "He relishes the chance to show the people the courage of his nobility."

Edmund glanced over his shoulder at the man, and then back to Miraz. There was a pause, and then Miraz spoke again. He pointed his long-sword at Edmund. I stepped forward, sword raised. This caused a stir and the men jeered at me.

"Ha, the wench is going to protect her man," "Shows how few they have, they send a girl to protect their king," and many other comments.

Miraz just tilted his head, waiting for silence, and addressed Edmund, "You. You should hope that your brother's sword is sharper than his pen," he said menacingly. My lip curled with contempt, but I kept quiet.

We went back to the How to deliver the news to Peter. Then I went to help Caspian get Lucy and Susan ready. I helped them mount up on Caspian's tall black Friesian stallion Destrier while he cinched the girth tighter, making sure the saddle wouldn't slip.

"Destrier has always served me well," he said, fiddling with the straps, buying time. I stood by the horse's head. "You are in good hands," he said, glancing up at Susan.

She smiled. "Or hooves."

Caspian held her gaze for a long moment, and then said softly, "Good luck."

Susan nodded, "Thanks."

Then the prince pulled the Horn out of its strap on his belt. "Look, maybe it's time you had this back." He held it out to her.

"Why don't you hold on to it. You might need to call me again," she said coyly, and then nudged Destrier into a gallop.

I heard Lucy's incredulous response echoing through the tunnels: "You might need to call me again?"

And Susan answered, "Oh, shut up." I smiled, and prayed to Aslan that they'd be okay.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

We stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the How. The crowd of Narnians roared and cheered. I followed behind Peter and Edmund, carrying extra weapons. We were in our full battle armor, just in case. I didn't trust the Telmarines to keep their word.

We heard the cheers of the enemy army as we made our way to the ruins in front of the How. Miraz and his men were on the other side. Glenstorm was holding a sword and nodded to us from his position. Peter took his sword from me and stepped out to meet Miraz in the middle.

At the call, the duel began. Peter ran up a fallen column and leaped off, bringing his sword down onto Miraz, who blocked the blow with his rounded shield. Cheers rang out on both sides. I chewed my lip nervously as their swords flashed brightly in the sunlight. They came together with a clash of metal, and then fell back apart for just a moment before colliding again with more hits and bashes.

I gasped as Miraz smashed Peter with his shield, hard enough to knock Peter's helmet from his head. Peter was knocked backward as his opponent hit him again, knocking his chain mail from his head also, revealing his entire head. His reddish hair was plastered to his face with sweat, and both were breathing heavily.

Peter twisted and slashed Miraz across the thigh. The older man cried out and fell back for a moment. Peter also backed away. We were all distracted by the sound of thundering hooves.

I looked to see Caspian coming back on a bay gelding, Susan up behind him. Peter and Miraz stood panting for a moment, Peter clutching his arm and Miraz his leg.

"Does my lord need a reprieve?" Miraz rasped.

Peter nodded. "Five minutes?" he asked.

Miraz hesitated, and then snapped, "Three." They both turned back to their sides.

Peter limped toward us, his face grim as Susan and Caspian dismounted.

"Lucy?" I asked, holding my breath.

"She got through," Susan assured me. Then she glanced up shyly at Caspian. "With a little help."

Nodding, I ran to get some water for Peter while Edmund helped him to a stone where he could sit for a moment. I held the flask of water for him, and he emptied it quickly.

"What do you think happens if I were to die here?" he asked his brother. Edmund glanced at me and Glenstorm, unsure of how to answer Peter's question.

"I don't know," he said, looking back at his brother.

Peter sighed. "I think it's dislocated," he said of his left shoulder. Edmund went to pop it back into place as Peter went on, getting sentimental. "You know, you've always been here for me, and-Ow ooh!" He groaned in pain as Edmund interrupted his little speech by popping the joint back into place.

"Later," he said, patting him on the back.

I went and hugged him. "I believe in you," I whispered into his ear as I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Keep smiling," Edmund said quietly while looking in the direction of the worried Narnians. Peter raised his sword high and grinned, resulting in cheers from the poor creatures.

Turning back to his sister, he said, "Better get to your places. I can't be sure that the Telmarines will keep their word." She nodded and hugged him before striding off to the How to assemble her archers on the ledges and walls.

Peter and Miraz walked back out to face each other, this time to the death. I swallowed my terror, and tried to look unworried for the others' sakes. After a moment's pause, they commenced fighting with renewed energy. Blow upon blow of sword and shield clanged, almost too fast to see. They whirled around each other, using every bit of experience they had ever had to gain the advantage.

For several moments, it seemed as if neither side was winning. But then Miraz smashed Peter with his shield again, knocking his own shield away. Peter spun around and with a slice of his blade, sent Miraz's long sword flying across the stone. Peter slashed his sword down with all of his strength over and over, Miraz blocking each blow with only his shield. Then he hooked his boot around Peter's leg and down he went. The king picked up his blade from the ground and stabbed down as Peter tried desperately to roll out of the way, blocking with his sword and the metal armor cuffs on his wrists.

He ran out of room to roll away, and as Miraz lifted his arm to finish Peter off, I thought for sure it was over. I squeezed my eyes shut and clutched Edmund's arm. But Peter wasn't finished. He kicked out, sending Miraz staggering backwards, giving him enough time to leap to his feet and bring his fist down upon Miraz's bandaged thigh.

The older man gasped and dropped his sword, clutching his wound. Peter stood, waiting for him to rise and continue fighting. It was a very knightly thing to do, but this wasn't the time or place for mercy.

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Peter," Edmund called. Peter glanced over at us, and in that time, Miraz snatched up his sword again and charged at him. I screamed as Peter ducked under the arc of his sword and brought his own up through his enemy's side. Miraz gasped and froze, and Peter pulled his blade back out from under his armor, letting Miraz fall to his knees.

Peter raised his sword to kill him, but hesitated.

"What? Are you afraid to take a life?" snarled Miraz. Peter glared back at him, trembling with exhaustion and anger.

"It's not mine to take," he growled back. He turned to look at Caspian, and held out his sword hilt to him. Caspian set his jaw and slowly walked forward and took the blade from Peter. My king, once he had handed off the sword to Caspian, visibly drooped. He limped back over to where Edmund and I were standing and took his place next to his brother. Caspian held the sword, aimed to pierce his uncle's heart.

"Perhaps I was wrong." Miraz said in a low voice, glaring at the prince. "Maybe you do have the makings of a Telmarine king after all." He bowed his head and Caspian raised the sword and screamed in fury as he stabbed down. I turned my head away, eyes closed tightly as I heard the point of the sword stab into…the ground.

I looked up again, and there it was, sticking out of a crack in the stone.

Miraz also looked up as Caspian said back, "Not one like you." He stood up straight. "Keep your life. But I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom." His voice shook slightly, but as he turned back towards the How, cheers from the Narnians erupted.

The Telmarine generals looked lost for a moment, but then they decided they should probably help their king. I broke into a grin and hugged Caspian, and then Peter. Several friends raced forward to congratulate Peter and Caspian, and they grinned and nodded tiredly. I saw the gray bearded general walk forward and help Miraz to us his feet out of the corner of my eye. They exchanged a few words, but they were drowned out by the Narnians cheering. But then the general gave a sick smile and in one motion, thrust an arrow into his king's back.

I gasped and turned all the way to face them as Miraz fell onto his stomach, dead, a red-feathered Narnian arrow protruding from his back.

The gray bearded man looked back and forth and then shouted, "Treachery! They shoot him!" Pointing at Susan and her archers, "They murdered our king!" And then he ran and mounted his horse.

"Lies! He killed his own king! I saw him!" I cried out, but my words were lost to them. There was going to be a battle after all of this, and many more of us would lose our lives.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Get ready!" Peter shouted as everyone leaped into action. I turned to look behind me again and saw a soldier running toward Peter with his blade raised.

"Peter!" I screamed, pointing. "Arrgggh!" the soldier roared as he slashed at Peter. Peter met his strike with his own sword and slashed again, this time sending the enemy's head rolling.

"Go!" he shouted at me, pointing back to the How. Peter started running, but before Edmund could follow him, I grabbed him and yanked him into me. I put my arms around his neck as we kissed, possibly for the last time.

"Be careful," I whispered to him before I turned and swung up onto the prancing Anduril. Caspian was waiting near the entrance to the How on the big bay gelding.

The Telmarine generals galloped back to their waiting troops shouting, "To arms! To arms!" A great cheer erupted from the enemy as they waved their spears and swords above their heads. I swallowed hard. With a loud clanking noise, their catapult-like machines began turning, sending huge rounded boulders hurtling through the sky towards us. They hit the ground around the ruins with a jolt, sending up plumes of dirt like bombs. Andy screamed in anger and gave a half rear, pawing the air with his hooves. "Ssshh, you'll get your chance," I whispered to him, stroking his silver neck.

With a great battle cry, the Telmarine cavalry surged forward.

Behind me, Susan cried, "Archers to the ready!" as she pulled an arrow from her quiver and placed it on her bowstring.

The dwarves and fauns up on the ledges with her did the same. Then Peter turned to me and Caspian and gave a short nod. We wheeled around and disappeared into the dark tunnels of the How, followed by Glenstorm. Andy, Glenstorm, and the bay's hooves clattered on the stone, sending eerie echoes through the halls. We reached the waiting troops below and slid to a halt in front of them.

"Narnians!" Caspian shouted. "Charge!" And we turned and led them into the huge cavern underneath the battlefield above.

The ceiling was low and supported by many columns and stalagmites. We wove in and out of them, holding our torches high as we led the army through. I rode right beside the prince with Glenstorm on our tails. Then we heard the bugle from above, signaling us to start counting.

"One…two…three…" I began under my breath, in sync with Caspian next to me. Somewhere above us, Susan raised her bow along with the other archers, and took aim. Edmund was standing next to his brother somewhere as well. When we reached the count of ten, I cried, "Now!" and the minotaurs and giants and centaurs began smashing the pillars holding up the ceiling.

The roof began to crumble, and the air filled with dust. Huge chunks of rock fell all around me as we dodged them and shafts of light broke through, piercing the darkness. There were terrified neighs of horses and shouts of men as the ground beneath their feet simply disappeared. They fell into the pit that had opened up right in front of them, and then Susan let her archers' arrows fly. They whistled through the air and pierced the armor of the enemy soldiers that were distracted by the chasm.

Edmund leaped onto the back of his chestnut horse and rode into the battle. Peter shouted, "Charge!" and the rest of the Narnians that were watching the duel and battle surged forward to attack. Caspian and I were still down below with the army, but then a ramp of earth and grass fell down for us, and we galloped up and out into the daylight again.

I drew my sword with Caspian and shouted "For Narnia and for Aslan!" as we circled around the back of the cavalry troops. We had them surrounded on all sides. I spotted Edmund on the other side, galloping through on his red horse. And then we met the enemy horsemen with a clash of metal. I knocked my helmet down over my face and let my instinct take over, not letting myself think about anything but the strikes of my sword and the blocks of my shield. It was the only way I could get through a battle. I stabbed and slashed and knocked men from their horses as Andy reared and thrust through them with his newly re-grown horn. I looked around to get my bearings and found that I was in the thickest part of the fighting, near the pit.

Across the fighting men and sea of grass, the Telmarine infantry were steadily approaching. In the sky, big round boulders were still arcing over our heads to collide with the ground or occasionally the How. Then griffons soared out over us, clutching Dwarves with crossbows in their talons. But before they could get close enough to fire upon the enemy, the Telmarines shot huge harpoon-like arrows into the air to hit the griffons. They dropped like flies. I fought down the urge to be sick.

I located Peter, still near the ruins. He was standing, looking from the How behind us to the approaching troops. I could see the pain in his face as he made the decision.

"Back to the How!" he shouted. All around me Narnians turned and began racing back to the relative safety of the towering structure. As I galloped Andy back, I thought of Peter's words earlier; _This isn't a fortress. It's a tomb. _Soon it would be a tomb for all of us.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

As we were racing back to the How, the Telmarines broke out of their steady march and began running towards us. The catapults launched more stones, and they collided with the How. Susan screamed, "Brace yourselves!" to her archers as the walls began to tremble.

I reached the ramp leading down into the tunnel right behind Peter when suddenly a boulder smashed into one of the ruined arches. It sent the huge stone slab hurtling into the wall of the mound. The force of the impact knocked the stone surrounding the door down and closed it off right in front of us. Andy hit the brakes and sat back on his haunches to slide to a stop to avoid being crushed under the avalanche of rocks.

Peter and I and the rest of the Narnians hesitated for a moment, not able to comprehend what had just happened. There was no way in now. We were trapped outside with a huge army right behind us.

Several small trees that had grown on the ledges of the How also toppled over. I heard a cry and looked up to see Susan dangling over the edge, holding tightly to Trumpkin's hand. Caspian arrived beside me and Peter. Trumpkin dropped Susan onto a ledge below, and I turned with Peter and Caspian to see that the infantry had arrived. They had surrounded what was left of our army. I felt my body sag in hopelessness.

Edmund ran up beside me and my unicorn, throwing down his splintered crossbow. He looked at the three of us and then drew his sword. I looked back at Peter, who then turned back to look at the enemy. Then all five of us (Susan had joined us) began running forward, followed by our faithful, brave Narnians. We reached the enemy again and resumed fighting with as much ferocity as before.

Even though I was sure that I wasn't going to live to see the sun set one last time, I was still proud. I would die fighting along with all of the people I loved, and then I wouldn't have to worry anymore. No more pain, no more evil. I would die fighting for Aslan and Narnia, and everything I believed in and loved.

Edmund was fighting as hard as he could, moving so fast it was hard to see what he was doing. He used two swords, sweeping them around his head, the iron flashing as he decapitated and disemboweled two different soldiers at once. Caspian killed and knocked soldiers with his sword, all of us slashing and fighting our hearts out. I yanked off my helmet, letting my braided hair fall free. As always, there was that shock and hesitation as the soldier I was fighting realized I was a girl. It never got old, I thought with a bitter grin.

I struck at a soldier with my foot, knocking him backwards before swinging my blade around to slice through his body. I ducked and whirled and slashed and blocked, fighting until every muscle burned with the effort. I had cleared a small circle around me, and looking around, I saw that my friends had done the same.

Through all of the screams and shouts and clashing of swords and armor, I thought I could faintly hear a roar. I paused in my fighting, long enough for my opponent to get in a blow. Since I had on my chain mail, the sword didn't cut me, but it did hit me hard enough to knock me down. The soldier raised his pike to bring the axe head down on me, but then I rolled to the side and fell down into the pit.

I managed to land on my feet, though I stumbled a bit, and then I raced back up the opposite side. I saw Caspian fling his knife to stick into a soldier's neck, and Reepicheep the Mouse charged into the approaching troops. Susan was still wildly shooting arrows all around her, with astounding speed and accuracy. Several centaurs and fauns jumped up and onto the raised shields of the enemy infantry, bringing their swords down onto the Telmarines.

Caspian was down. I could see him sitting up in the bottom of the pit. One of the Telmarine generals charged toward him, his pike raised and ready to run through the prince.

"No!" I creamed uselessly as he brought it down. Caspian leaned back, waiting for his death to come. But the general paused, lowering his pike. I was running, trying to get to them, but then a huge root burst from the wall of dirt behind the general. It snatched him up, smashing him twice against the wall before flinging him aside again.

I froze in bewilderment. Caspian rose again slowly, both of us staring up at where the huge, ancient trees were beginning to _walk. _They sank their roots into the ground and pulled themselves along, using some as whips and tossing soldiers aside.

There was suddenly a forest where there had been a meadow only moments ago. Everywhere, fighting halted for a moment, everyone staring in amazement at the trees. Caspian and I reached the others as a great cheer erupted from the Narnians.

I shook my head and grinned. "Lucy," I said breathlessly. A tree close by dove its roots into the ground, shooting through the earth to spring up again hundreds of yards away to crush the catapults. More cheers from the Narnians. Peter raised his sword to rally his troops, and we shouted, "For Aslan!" before charging with renewed energy at the Telmarines.

The remaining Telmarine commanders began shouting "Beruna! Beruna!" and their army turned and ran back into the woods to the river. They blew their horn, which in my opinion sounded a lot like a dying cow.

I stuck my fingers in my mouth and blew hard, whistling for Anduril. He appeared at my side and I swung up onto his back, yanking Edmund up behind me. The others rode on the backs of centaurs. We galloped after the retreating Telmarines, dodging between trees. I ducked low over Andy's neck to avoid low hanging branches. I tried to focus on the chase, but it was hard with Edmund's strong arms around my waist.

Then we emerged from the trees to the banks of Beruna. There was a bridge there now, that the Telmarines had constructed. They halted at the base of the bridge, and I strained to see why. There was Lucy, standing alone on the opposite side. She tilted her pretty little head to the side, a small smile playing at her mouth. She drew her tiny little dagger, and the Telmarines jeered and laughed at her.

But then stepped forward the great Lion himself, even bigger than I remembered. His mane shone golden in the sun, and my heart soared. He looked at Lucy and then back at the enemy. He lowered his head slightly in a sort of nod.

Then the gray-bearded general who had killed his own king held up his sword and screamed, "Charge!" and galloped his horse across the bridge towards Aslan and Lucy. The Telmarine troops followed him, answering his call with their own cheers and battle cries.

They plunged into the river, eager to reach the other side. But then Aslan opened his mouth and roared. I felt it vibrate within my chest, and ripples appeared across the river. The army halted again as the current changed. The water began to suck back upstream, and they watched it with puzzlement.

When they spotted the huge wave that was forming upriver, they began to try to turn back frantically. The wave rose higher and higher until it became the River God, towering above the river as water cascaded down his body. He reached for the bridge, and soldiers leaped off the wooden structure with terrified cries.

Aslan gave him a small nod and he smashed each side of the bridge, lifting it up. It fell apart like kindling, and he held the middle section in his watery grip. The general stood on his horse and raised his sword, as if he could fight the water with steel. Then the River God leaned forward, his body melting away and falling in a huge crashing torrent. He dumped the man and horse forward as he became a huge wave again, falling down and down and down to carry away the remains of the Bridge of Beruna, leaving behind a mist in the air and a few planks of wood on the banks.

**Yeah, sorry this one's so short. I'll post more if you keep reviewing! :D Pretty please?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

We stationed Narnians along the banks to make sure the captive Telmarines cooperated. Then I remounted Anduril with Edmund and we swam across the river along with the others. There we climbed up onto the river bank, and then swung off of Andy.

Edmund took his place with his brother and sisters, and Caspian and I walking beside them. We knelt, swords in the ground in front of us, heads bowed over clasped hands on the hilt.

"Rise, kings and queens of Narnia," Aslan said in his beautiful voice.

Edmund, Peter, and Susan raised their heads and stood up again.

"All of you," Aslan said, with the trace of a smile.

Caspian slowly raised his head and looked around. I remained with my head bowed.

Caspian took a breath and said, "I do not think I am ready." He didn't meet Aslan's eyes; instead, he stared at the pebbles under his paws.

But then Aslan spoke again. "It's for that very reason I know you are." Caspian slowly rose to his feet, looking back and forth at us.

We were interrupted by the sound of mournful bagpipe music, and a group of Mice stepped forward, carrying Reepicheep on a stretcher. They gently laid him on the bank and stepped back, little furry heads bowed.

Lucy stepped forward with her cordial and knelt beside him. She gave Reep a drop and after a moment, his head rolled around and he sat up.

"Oh, your Majesty. Thank you," he said breathlessly. Then he saw Aslan standing before him. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "Hail Aslan! It is a great honor to be-" but as he bent over to bow gracefully, he stumbled. "Oh!" he said again when we all realized that there was only a stump where his tail had been before. "I am greatly out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion."

I struggled not to roll my eyes at Reepicheep's big words. I could hardly understand what he was trying to say.

He looked beseechingly at Lucy. "Uh, perhaps…a drop more?"

She gave him a pitying look. "I don't think it does that," she said apologetically.

"You could have a go," Reep said hopefully.

Aslan chuckled. "It becomes you well, small one," he said with a smile.

"All the same, great king, I regret that I must withdraw, for a tail is the honor and glory of a mouse," Reepicheep said nobly.

"Perhaps you think too much of your honor, friend," Aslan lectured.

Reepicheep, ashamed, went on. "Well, it's not just the honor. It's also great for balance! And-and climbing, and grabbing things!" He said.

I smiled. He really was a cute Mouse, whether he liked that description or not.

Another mouse drew his needle-like sword and said, "May you please, your high majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honor denied of our chief." He held his tail to the blade, and the others followed suit.

"Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people," Aslan said.

And Reep's tail sprouted again. "Oh! Ho ho! Look! Thank you, thank you my liege! I will treasure it always! From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility." At this, we all giggled.

I cocked my head, thinking about Andy's horn and how it re-grew when we returned to Narnia. As if he knew what I was thinking, Aslan nodded.

"Yes, Rose," he spoke softly to me. "I gave the unicorn his horn again for the loyalty he showed to you by sacrificing his own honor and dignity." Then he turned back to the others and said, "Now, where is this Dear Little Friend you've told me so much about?" We all looked behind us at the water's edge, where Trumpkin was overseeing the Telmarines.

He saw us looking at him, and slowly walked to wear we were standing, his head down and peeking up through his bushy eyebrows. He knelt and stuck his short sword into the pebbles as Aslan opened his mouth and showed his teeth and roared. Trumpkin trembled a bit and I giggled.

"_Now _do you see him?" I asked with a smile.

Trumpkin only glared at me.

We rode back to the How to gather our things before setting out to the Telmarine castle. We rode through the town, Caspian upon a prancing Destrier wearing a golden crown. The people threw rose petals into the streets and cheered. We smiled and waved and acted cheerful, but all I really wanted was a hot bath, a hot meal, and a warm bed.

As I rode across the bridge, I relived the night that so many had died trying to take this very fortress. It made me feel sick, and I didn't know if I could bear staying here for long.

After tending to Anduril in the stables, I was led up to my chamber. There was a four poster bed, a dresser, a desk, and a door leading to the bath. I asked the maid to fill the tub, and then I undressed. I left my sweaty, bloodstained tunic and muddy boots in a heap on the floor, and I caught the look of disgust on the maid's face. No doubt women were expected to stay home and tend to the family, _not _on the battle field.

I slid into the tub, sighing with intense pleasure at the hot water. It had been _months _since I had had a proper bath. I scrubbed my whole body with soap, washing away the dirt, blood, and stress. I dunked my head under, rubbing at my scalp to get my hair clean.

I stayed in the water until it grew cold, and then I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel. I noted that it wasn't the soft material of the towels I had at the Cair, but some courser fabric. But a towel is a towel.

I combed the snarls out of my hair and dried it by the small fireplace. On my bed the maid had laid out a plain dress, the kind Telmarine women wore, I supposed. It was simple gray wool, and rather uncomfortable, but it was all I had.

Once I was dressed, I headed downstairs into the Great Hall where we had dinner. It was so nice to use silver and to eat on actual plates again, and the food was excellent. Once we were through eating, we all retired to bed early.

I climbed into my own bed, groaning in pleasure. After watching the celebratory fireworks light up the night sky in bright colors, I blew out the candle on my night table, and fell asleep almost right away.

Then next morning, I woke late. It was already about 9:30 am, and I dressed quickly in my newly washed tunic and boots. I went down to the courtyard, the very one where the gates had been closed, trapping all of those brave Narnians inside. Although I told myself to stop thinking about it, I couldn't help but wonder what they had done with their bodies.

_Probably burned them,_ I thought bitterly.

I spotted Peter and Susan walking with Aslan. They looked sad, and I tilted my head, puzzled. I turned as Caspian came up beside me, looking eager to talk to Susan. But then he saw her sad, beautiful face, and stopped. He looked at her, and then gave a small, resigned nod. Before I could ask what was wrong, he turned and disappeared again.

I searched for Edmund, finally finding him leaning against the battlements on one of the towers. I recognized it as the one he had stood from that night, flashing us signals with his torch. He turned to me and smiled. I smiled back and he slid his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. Our lips met, and I kissed him ardently.

Then he drew back and said, "Aslan wants us to meet in the center of town this afternoon. I'm not sure what it's about, though." I nodded.

"I don't like being here, in this castle," I said after a few moments.

Edmund agreed. "Me neither. Everywhere I look, I see something from that night. Like up here. I don't know why I came up here," he said, shaking his head.

I kissed him again, this time softer. "Come on. Let's go for a ride." I tugged on his sleeve, and we headed down to the stables.

We rode out into the countryside surrounding the town, cantering through meadows of grazing sheep and cattle. At noon we stopped by a creek, and stretched out under an apple tree while our mounts grazed.

We talked a little, mostly just about the things that we hadn't had time to discuss before. I laid my head on Edmund's chest, his hand gently stroking my hair. I found myself totally at peace, my head rising and falling with his gentle breathing. I wished that things would stay like that forever. All I wanted was to be with him, just like that.

But as the sun sank a little lower in the sky, Edmund said quietly, "We'd better head back. We don't want to be late for Aslan." So we had to leave paradise behind, and head back into the center of town. I went very reluctantly, wishing we could just keep on lying in the grass under that tree by the creek for eternity.

We met the others by a gnarled old oak that was clinging to the steep cliff at the edge of the town. There was a square courtyard, where hundreds of civilians had gathered. Aslan, Caspian, Peter, Susan, Lucy, Glenstorm, and the Mice were all standing by the tree.

Caspian stepped forward first. "I am giving Narnia back to those who rightfully belong here. I will be a fair ruler to all."

Aslan also spoke. "Your people come from the same world as the kings and queens of old. They were pirates and rapscallions who landed on an island. On that island, there was a cave, one of the few portals that still remain that link this world to that one. Those people found their way here."

He paused and looked around at everyone. "You are welcome to stay here and live in peace with the Narnians. But to those of you who do not wish to, I give you another option. I will return you to the island from which you came. It is a good place to live. Are there any who wish to go?" At first, no one spoke up.

But then the general, the one that had spared Caspian and that had hated Miraz, volunteered. "I will go," he called out. Miraz's widow also agreed. They stepped forward, followed by a few others.

"Because you were the first to be brave enough to go, you will prosper in that world." Then Aslan turned and breathed onto the gnarled old oak tree, and it began to twist. It turned until it was standing on two trunks that then joined higher on up the tree, as if it had legs.

They cautiously stepped forward, and through the two trunks. And then, with a gasp from the crowd, they vanished into a world unknown.

"How do we know he is not sending us to our deaths?" A doubter cried out.

Reepicheep the Mouse volunteered to Aslan, "Sir, I will take eleven Mice through as an example."

But Aslan looked instead to Peter and Susan. Suddenly, I felt a slick, cold dread form in my chest, and my heart began to pound.

"Come on. It's time for us to go," Peter said quietly to his siblings.

I trembled. "No," I whispered over and over to myself. Peter went to stand in front of Caspian. He handed him his sword.

"Here," he said. "I won't be needing this anymore."

Caspian slowly took it. "But why won't you need it?" He asked.

Peter turned to face Susan. "We're not coming back," she said.

My heart stopped for a moment and I felt my whole body turn to ice. Caspian also froze in confusion.

"We're not?" Lucy asked.

"Well, you two are," Peter said to Edmund and Lucy.

"But why? Did they do something wrong?" She asked Aslan.

He chuckled. "Quite the opposite. They have learned all they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."

Peter took her hand. "Come on Lu," he said softly. "Time to go."

"No!" I cried. I grabbed Edmund's arm. Aslan calmly turned to face me.

"Why can't they stay, like last time?" I asked pathetically, tears beginning to roll down my cheeks.

Aslan's voice was soft and comforting. "Nothing ever happens the same way twice," he said.

I choked back a sob.

"But, my child, you may go with them, if that is what you really want," Aslan offered softly.

_No, not this choice again, _I thought. _I can't choose between Narnia and England again. _

"But I _can't _go back to England. There's nothing for me there. I'll be stuck living on the streets again, or in some orphan's home." Aslan waited patiently.

Edmund pulled me tight against him, and I felt by the tightness of which he held me that he had decided for me. "Stay here Rosie. I'll understand," he whispered to me.

I sniffed and wiped my face with the back of my hand. I felt ashamed for making such a scene in front of all of these people, who were staring silently.

"Will I ever see them again?" I asked Aslan, my voice a little firmer.

He nodded. "Yes, child, I promise you that you will see each other again." I paused a moment longer, feeling my heart break. Then I turned back to Edmund.

"All right," I sniffed. "I'll wait for you." I tried to muster a smile through my tears. Then I kissed him one last time, urgently, not knowing how long it would be before I saw him again, but I needed it to last until I did.

Then I hugged Peter and Susan tightly, knowing that it _would _be the last time I would ever see them, in this life. Then they went and said their goodbyes to their friends; Reepicheep, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, Glenstorm.

Finally they went and stood by the tree. Susan went to Caspian. I heard everything she said, even though she spoke quietly.

"It never would have worked anyway," she said.

"Why not?" Caspian asked.

She gave him a small, sad smile. "Well I _am _1300 years older than you," she said, trying to lighten the mood. He gave a small smile, but it was without warmth.

She started to turn away, but then stopped. Then she quickly went back and kissed him. Caspian hugged her tightly, and I saw how much it was hurting him.

Peter smiled, and I heard Lucy say, "What _has _been going on with those two?"

Edmund smiled and said, "I don't even want to know," with a shake of his head.

Caspian released her, and Susan slowly came to join the others. Aslan smiled and nodded, and they turned to go. Edmund went first, and as he vanished, a fresh sob rose in my throat. Anduril nudged me gently with his velvety muzzle in an attempt to comfort me.

Lucy was the last to go, lingering for a moment, looking like she was about to cry. She looked back at Aslan once more, her lip trembling, but he gave her another smile and she followed the others.

And then they were gone, back to that train station in London, back to school, as if no time had passed at all. And maybe the people at the station would wonder if they really did just see a ragged girl on a white horse galloping through the tunnel, or did they just imagine it? And then the world would go on as it had been, as if nothing had changed at all, when in truth, _nothing _was the same.

**Reviews? They make me oh-so-happy when you tell me what you think of my stories. **

**This part of the movie (and the book of course!) always made me soooo sad because they have to leave erything behind after such a short time! So I had to make this chapter sad and emotional too, and I hope it lived up to your expectations!**

**So, if I get some more reviews, maybe I'll write some more… Hehe **


	17. Chapter 17

**Well, I got another review, so I decided to reward ya'll with another chapter. :D Also, today my traffic for my stories was over 450 views, which made me happy as well. (I actually don't know if that's considered a lot, but I'll take it) SO anyway, on with the story!**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**~Edmund~**

As soon as I had stepped between the twisted twin trunks of the old tree, I found myself back in the London train station, the same train _whooshing _past, blowing my dark hair off of my forehead. We were standing in front of the same bench, our luggage sitting on the ground, waiting for us.

I looked down to my left, meeting the bewildered faces of several people who had just imagined the strangest thing—that a teenaged girl with wild red hair had just galloped past on a huge white stallion.

But I could already see them dismissing it with the slight shake of their heads, blinking quickly and then stepping onto the train. I, however, couldn't just move on with the bustle of everyday life as easily.

Everything was going to be much harder now, especially knowing that I had left her there to wait for me to return for Aslan-only-knows-how-long. We had had such a short time together, barely any time at all to ourselves. If only I hadn't wasted so much time ignoring what was right there in front of me all along.

I really was such an idiot.

And now…I had to return to school.

By Aslan, how I hated school. The fights, the professors, the lessons, the food…I loathed it all. It was so incredibly dull, and once again, we would all have to adjust to being treated like children again. Despite the fact that I was thirty-two now, I was trapped in my sixteen year old body.

I was brought back to the present by the train conductor asking for my ticket. I had a moment of panic, not having the slightest idea where I had put it. But then I found it in my trouser pocket, right where it had been a month ago.

The conductor punched it and then moved on to the next compartment, leaving me and my family to stare out the window at the passing gloomy scenery in silence.

**~Rose~**

I turned and sobbed into my unicorn's silky neck, and he laid his head across my back in an equine hug. I felt as if someone had run me through with a sword. I would never see Susan or Peter again. They were gone forever. And I didn't know when I would see Edmund or Lucy again. They might come back when I was an old woman on my deathbed, still exactly the same as they are now. It hurt too much to think about.

For the next few days, I only came out of my room to talk to Anduril in the stable. Other than that, I took all my meals in my room and spent all of my time just sitting by the window. But even that was painful, because my gloomy chamber overlooked the courtyard, and beyond that, I could see the tree, still gripping the side of the cliff. I wept a lot, thinking about how perfect we had been until we had to leave that orchard.

But finally, after a week holed up in the room, I knew I had to get out. I bathed again, dressed in a new dress I had had made, styled after one of my old ones. I brushed my hair and braided it, and then walked down to find Caspian after constructing my face to become strong and clear in the mirror.

It took a while for me to find him, since I didn't know my way around this castle. I felt trapped in here; the halls were narrow and dark and cold and all of the rooms had low ceilings and were plain. But I finally found him in his uncle's study, bent over the many papers and documents, his head in his hands.

I rapped my knuckles on the door frame. He jerked his head up, his hair sticking out oddly where he had his hands buried in it. I resisted the urge to laugh, although it was the first time I had smiled in days. It felt foreign to my facial muscles.

"What are you doing?" I asked, walking into the room.

He sighed hopelessly. "I do not know. That is the whole problem. I have no idea how to be king, or how to run a country. I do not know how to manage a castle, or the treasury, or the military, or anything." He let his head fall back into his hands. I felt sorry for him.

"Well," I said after a moment. "What is the most important thing right now?"

He sighed again. "I guess that would be to get the Narnians' trust. There are more of them out there than those who fought with us who do not trust me. They still believe that I am just like Miraz. But what more can I do?" I stared out the small window, towards the east, thinking.

"Rebuild Cair Paravel," I said quietly, after what seemed like hours of silence. I wasn't even sure where it had come from. Caspian looked at me.

"What?" he asked in his accented voice.

"Build Cair Paravel again. Restore it to what it once was. If you return the Cair to its former glory, the Narnians will have to realize that you mean what you say." He continued to stare at me, but I could see that he was beginning to understand what I was saying, and a look of hope crossed his face.

But then he shook his head. "But no one living knows what it once looked like. The castle was destroyed when Caspian the Conqueror invaded the country several centuries ago. It is completely in ruins now."

I cleared my throat, raising my eyebrows. "Are you forgetting that I was there? I lived in that castle for fifteen years. I knew every step, every tower, every hall, and every secret it held. I can help you."

I paused for a moment, then laughed bitterly. "What else am I going to do? The only family I have had since before I was fifteen is gone now. I don't know when I will see them next. And I can't stay in this hellish fortress, remembering all those brave soldiers who died in that very courtyard," I said sharply, jabbing my pointing finger toward the barred window.

Caspian looked a bit taken aback by my outburst, but he nodded slowly. "All right then. We will rebuild the castle. But where will we get the labor and materials?"

I pulled over a stiff wooden chair and sat down. Back in the Golden Age, there had been no need of lumber or labor. The few humans who lived in Narnia stayed in the Cair, and the rest of the population was made up of Animals, Centaurs, Dwarfs, Fauns, and the like. They had had no need of lumber for houses. And anyway, we couldn't possibly cut down the trees. It would be murder.

After a moment of deliberation, I said, "We can get the wood from Archenland, their entire country is made up of woodland, and there are few nymphs and dryads. The stone we can get from the quarries in Calormene. But in order to acquire the goods, we must forge new alliances with them. As for the labor, the Narnians would probably be willing to help, but there aren't very many of them. We might be able to convince some of the Telmarine builders to help, since they will be out of the job now that there will be no more major construction. But we will also probably have to hire a few workers from the other countries."

Caspian looked overwhelmed. "And…how long will this take? How much will it cost?" I shrugged. He exhaled slowly, running his hands through his hair again, making it stick out even more. I giggled.

"Where do we even begin?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Well, I guess we could start by making a few trips to Anvard and Tashbaan, couldn't we?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Yay! Two more reviews! PolarBride, you made me laugh. :D **

**So, I present to you, Part Two of The Call! As long as you guys keep reviewing, I'll keep writing! Thanks so much again!**

**BTLM: The Call**

**Part II**

**Chapter Eighteen**

We set out for Anvard a week later to rebuild the bonds that had once been so strong between the Royal Family of Archenland and our own. Many feasts and balls had been shared between our countries, and I had had many friends at Anvard.

Among our company were Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, Glenstorm and a few of his sons, Reepicheep and his Mice, and several Talking Beasts and fauns. Caspian and I were at the head of the group, mounted on Destrier and Anduril. One of the centaurs loped along behind us carrying the red and gold Narnian banner with the emblem of the Lion on it. It had now replaced all of the silver and midnight blue banners of Telmar.

We rode south along the Great River until crossing at Beruna all of the first day. We camped in the forest that night. I spread out my bed roll and laid down on it, using my pack as a pillow. Caspian rolled his out next to me, and I couldn't help but notice he seemed a little nervous.

"Are you all right?" I asked him in a whisper.

"Huh?" He jerked toward me. "Oh, yes, I'm fine." I raised my eyebrows. "What?" he asked, a little defensively.

"I sleep with a dagger under my pillow and in my boots and my hand on my sword beside me. We are surrounded by warriors. You have nothing to be worried about in these woods," I said to reassure him, and then rolled over to sleep.

I was up with the sun the next morning, and we continued riding. The sunlight filtered down through the late summer leaves, dappling the forest floor. We rode along quietly, the silence broken only by the snapping of twigs, the rustling of the damp litter underfoot, and the whisper of the morning breeze through the treetops. Memories of mornings like this flitted through my brain. As I thought back to those happy, golden years, I felt myself slipping back into depression.

I guess Caspian could see the pain in my eyes, because he cleared his throat and broke the silence. "So. How much farther is it before we reach Anvard?"

I reluctantly dragged myself back to the present and out of my memories to answer him.

"Well," I said, looking around. "Judging by the position of the sun, it's about 2:00 in the afternoon, and the slope of the ground is getting steeper, which means we are growing closer to the foothills. Depending on whether the geography has changed since my time, which it probably has, we may have to camp again tonight in the valley on the other side of these smaller northern mountains before continuing in the morning. Then the going will be slower because we will have to find a safe way through the steeper mountains, but I think we could probably estimate to reach Anvard by about 1:30 tomorrow afternoon." I said all of this as a monotonous soliloquy, leaving Caspian bewildered into silence for a moment.

"Oh," was all he managed.

I sighed and nudged Andy into a canter. I was tired of the easy walking because it left too much time to think. I wanted to drown out my thoughts with the muffled pounding of my unicorn's hooves along the leafy floor and focus on weaving through the trees while staying on track.

True to my predictions, the ground grew steeper and rockier and the trees thinner. The big hardwoods were replaced by scraggly pines and junipers and other little shrubs. The sun disappeared below the mountains peaks in front of us as we began our way back down into the wooded valley. We made camp, and then when the dark grew less and the sun rose the next morning we began our climb through the jagged southern mountains of Archenland.

As we hiked through the narrow passes and along dangerous cliff-side trails, I observed that although Narnia's geography had changed considerably in parts, Archenland was about the same as it had been 1300 years before. The mountains were not as tall or sharp in places, having been eroded away over centuries and the trails and paths were not the same, but the country wasn't very much different. I supposed it was because of the lack of major rivers.

We finally peaked over one last small hill before spotting the castle below. It had changed since my time. There was now a small moat surrounding the turreted walls. Around it was the town, which had grown from a mountain hamlet to a considerable settlement. There were orchards and plowed fields and little cottages dotting the valley, and carts and wagons choked the dusty farm roads.

We descended into the town, our banners flying high. I had combed my hair this morning and let it hang loose for effect. Caspian was wearing his crown, and Glenstorm held his huge sword at the ready. The Mice rode on his and his sons' backs. We were flanked by the Talking Beasts and Fauns and, needless to say, we caused quite a scene.

The streets cleared for us, but crowds gathered to follow us to the castle gates. Children ran behind us, housewives opened upper windows to peer out, people dropped what they were doing.

Caspian whispered to me, "What am I supposed to say?"

I answered, "I'll handle all the formalities. You just watch."

At the gatehouse, two sleepy looking guards stepped out to greet us. "Greetings, loyal citizens of Archenland," I said, nodding to them.

They blinked in puzzlement and managed a nod back. "May we ask who calls?" they questioned.

"Lady Rosalie of Narnia, and my lord, His Noble Majesty, King Caspian of Narnia." Caspian nodded to them, and they hastily bowed.

"What is your business here?" One asked politely.

I smiled. "We have merely come for a visit. We would like to speak with the king." They took our mounts, after I explained to them about Anduril.

We were led into a warm, comfortable library. Tea was brought, and we sat on the soft sofas and we sipped. To the centaurs and Mice, it was strange and disgusting, but I was enjoyed it greatly. Caspian had never had it before, but he found that he liked it.

After a few minutes of waiting, the wooden doors opened again, and two guards stepped in, followed by a tall, bearded man and two more guards. We rose to our feet.

The soldiers took their places along the wall as the man bowed to us, and we returned it (even me, because a curtsy wouldn't have been appropriate in men's clothes).

He was fair skinned and had eyes as blue as the ocean and hair the color of straw. He was dressed casually, and I liked that.

"Greetings, my guests. It is a pleasure to have the unexpected treat of a visit." He smiled, and I re-introduced us.

"I am Lady Rosalie of Narnia, and this is King Caspian the Tenth."

He nodded. "Ah. You are…Narnians? Don't you mean Telmarines? And isn't the current ruler of that country Miraz?" He gazed at us in mild confusion.

I shook my head. "No, sir, I do mean Narnians. And Miraz the Usurper is no longer in power over Narnia." I proceeded to tell the story, and learned that the king's name was Nain.

After that, we settled down to business. I wanted to win the trust of the Archenlanders, because the Telmarine invaders certainly had been the friendliest neighbors. We talked and told stories over dinner.

"Being descended from the Telmarines," King Nain said to Caspian, "I'd guess you wouldn't know the story of my great-great-great-great-grandfather, King Cor of Archenland?"

"You are descended from Cor? I knew him, and Aravis! He was such a good boy, and she was turning into such a pretty young lady. I wish I could have seen them grow up," I said wistfully, reminiscing about the last bit of news I had received from them. Aravis had been expecting her first child.

King Nain stared at me, his eyes bugging out. "What do you mean, you knew him? He ruled more than a thousand years ago!"

I nodded, realizing how mad I must sound. "Yes, sir, I did know him personally, and his father, King Lune. And Aravis, and Hwin and Bree, and Corin Thunderfist and all of their brothers. I fought at the Battle of Anvard when Prince Rabadash tried to invade Archenland, and I saw him turned into a donkey with my own eyes."

King Nain stared at me in wonderment. "But how…?" he whispered.

"I am the same Lady Rose that accompanied the…Kings and Queens of Old. But I'm sure you have not heard of me, since I am not in the history books," I answered with a wry smile.

"No, you are in the history books! I know who you are! But how are you here in Archenland?" King Nain exclaimed, leaning forward in his armchair, his hands on his knees and his eyes sparkling.

I admit I was a little surprised (and honored) to learn that I was written into histories of Narnia. Who would've thought?

"Well, I followed the Pevensies back into our world after they disappeared. A year passed there, and then we got called back here by Caspian, as I told you, and then the rest happened."

King Nain was amazed at what I had seen, and I found that he was very interested in history and storytelling. I recounted numerous battles and stories to him ("Yes, Corin actually did sneak into the battle, even though Edmund told him to stay behind.") He sat enthralled for hours, and finally the others went to bed, all except Caspian. He also sat listening, absorbing as much Narnian history as he could. But I finally had to excuse myself for the night, as I was exhausted from the late hour and the journey. I fell asleep instantly.


	19. Chapter 19

**Here's another chapter. Enjoy. (Oh, and a review or two would be much appreciated :D)**

**Chapter Nineteen**

We stayed at Anvard for a week, hunting and feasting and becoming good friends with the Archenlanders again. But we had to continue on to Calormen and our meeting with the Tisroc at some point.

I wasn't as excited about this part of our journey. When I had last been in Calormen, we hadn't been on good terms with them, especially after they tried to invade Cair Paravel when the Kings and Queens went back to London. But it was important to forge an alliance with them to keep something like that from happening again.

We couldn't get there by ship since the Telmarines were afraid of the ocean and had no knowledge of sailing, so we had to cross the Great Desert. I had only crossed it twice before, and both times it had been a hard journey. But I knew that the best way was to travel down the gorge that carried a creek that branched off from the Winding Arrow.

We arrived at the Winding Arrow with anxiety, hoping that it hadn't changed much since my time. Luck was with us, and although it was wider and stronger, it wasn't in a gorge like the Rush had been. So we swam across it, and followed the creek to the mouth of the canyon.

For two days we traveled along the river, letting Andy and Destrier graze and hunting rabbits for the rest of us. And there was plenty of water. But on the third day, the canyon walls grew smoother and flattened out, and we reached the source of the creek, which was a spring bubbling out of the ground. We filled all of our canteens and drank until our bellies sloshed, gathered more food, and then struck out across the desert, with me leading the way.

We sweated and the sun beat down on us, the sand blinding us with its intensity. Andy and Destrier grew weary quickly, and we had to get off and walk every now and then to give them a break. I thought about how Cor and Aravis and the Horses Bree and Hwin had done this very thing more than a thousand years ago. It made me long for the old Narnia.

We spent the night out on the dunes, huddled against one another for warmth. When the sun was setting on our right on the second day, we could see the lumpy mounds of the Tombs on the horizon. When we reached them, Caspian wandered around them in amazement, but I still don't see why a bunch of termite mounds are so special.

We had to spend another night camping since the gates into Tashbaan had already been closed by the time we got there. That night we had nothing to eat and very little to drink, since we had used up all of our resources on the journey, so the night was quite miserable.

We awoke at sunrise to the blaring of those awful trumpets, which signaled the opening of the gates. We marched through them, attracting astonished crowds of dark-skinned Calormenes. They had never seen Old Narnians before in their lives. We reached the courtyard of the Palace, and guards rushed forward to meet us. I had to introduce us again but, since I was a girl and Calormenes have little respect for women, it wasn't until Caspian stepped forward that they finally let us in.

Our mounts were taken to the stable and the rest of us were taken to rooms to bathe before meeting the Tisroc. I was glad to get the dust and sweat from the desert off of me, and to drink some cool lemonade. Caspian had never had fruits like the ones here, and was amazed at the bright colors of the oranges, limes, lemons, kiwis, bananas, and other produce. He had several of each, and his face was sticky from the sweet juice afterwards. I had to laugh at him, but it was nice to have an orange after two years.

Finally we went before the Tisroc. I had already briefed everyone on how to conduct themselves in his presence.

"Who calls on me from the barbarian lands of the north?" The Tisroc asked. He was a fat, balding man.

"It is King Caspian the Tenth, Lady Rosalie of Narnia, and their company of good fauns, centaurs, and Talking Beasts," I answered him.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "And what do you want?"

lowered my eyes humbly. "We merely wish to reacquaint ourselves with the noble people of Calormen, Your Majesty. The Telmarines have neglected the alliance between Narnia and Calormen for centuries."

He glared at me before addressing Caspian. "If you are king, why do you let this little barbarian wench talk for you? Have you no voice of your own?" I clenched my jaw and ground my teeth in suppressed frustration. Caspian had to talk for the rest of the meeting.

We were permitted to stay in the palace, and we tried to be as friendly and merry to everyone we met as possible. We tried to make friends , because without the stone and labor from the Calormenes, it would be impossible to reconstruct Cair Paravel.

We were taken to the Temple of Tash, and I had to witness that horrible sacrifice again, this time of a calf. Caspian did not enjoy it either, and he began to dislike Calormen as much as I did. We met the great Tarkaans and Tarkheenas of Tashbaan, and I made new friends with some of the girls. But we were both very glad to leave.

The kindness of the Tisroc extended to getting us home again. He agreed to sail us home on one of his ships so that we wouldn't have to suffer through the desert again. The Old Narnians and I were greatly relieved by this, but Caspian was rather nervous as he had never sailed in any kind of boat or vessel at all.

We boarded the ship and put Andy and Destrier below in the hold, and then I went and sat at the front of the ship, the salty wind in my face. For the first two days, Caspian was violently seasick, and couldn't keep anything but water down. But finally on the third day, he began to perk up and get his sea legs.

"Don't you just love being at sea now?" I asked him.

"Well…now that I am adjusting to it, yes, I find it quite enjoyable," he answered a little hesitantly, as if waiting for nausea to strike him again and send him running to the rail of the ship.

I spent most of my time on deck, leaning over the rail watching the clear blue waters below. I was hoping to see mermaids, but all I saw were the dolphins that leaped through the waves made by the bow of the ship slicing smoothly through the water.

After four wonderful days at sea, the white cliffs of Narnia came into view. I directed the captain to the harbor of Glasswater, and then we finally set foot on land. Caspian staggered around, the ground feeling foreign to his legs after the pitching and yawing of the boat. We let our poor horse and unicorn have a bit of a graze before setting off again.

It took us another day and a half to reach the Telmarine castle, which was a bother. Having a castle right on the sea again would be a blessing.


	20. Chapter 20

**Yay, three more reviews! So I reward you with another chapter. :D I'm sorry I couldn't get more done today, but it was a busy day with golf, then my riding lesson, and me trying to get my WACOM board working. :P**

**But anyway, here it is! (PolarBride- I'm so excited for the new movie! It looks fantastic from the trailers, and I can hardly wait for December 10! Only 15 days and 40 minutes left!)**

**Thanks for the awesome reviews guys!**

**Chapter Twenty**

Four months of negotiating and trading later, we began laying the foundations for Cair Paravel. I was up late at night going over my sketches and blueprints, perfecting my measurement s and making sure it was all just as it had been.

I left the Telmarine fortress to stay seaside in a small hut built to house me while construction was in progress. I spent all of my days barking orders at the workers and overseeing the building. At first many of the Calormene workers refused to listen to me, since I was a young woman, and so I cracked down.

"It is outrageous that I, a _man _a good twenty years your senior, should have to take orders from a mere girl! Why is a wench like you overseeing construction when she should be married and working in her husband's kitchen?" One of the arrogant Calormenes confronted me when I gave him an order.

I glared at him, barely suppressing my fury. "How _dare _you speak to me in such a manner!" I snarled at him, our faces inches apart. I had to stand on my toes to be at eyelevel with him.

He glared back at me, his black eyes glistening. "Women belong in the kitchen. Their purpose is to serve their _husbands _by cooking and bearing them sons," he answered with a smirk.

My face red with anger and my hand on the hilt of my sword, I answered him in a low whisper. "That may be the way things are done in your country. In _mine_, however, women are the equals of men. Caspian knows it, the Narnians know it, and if you like, I would be _more _than happy to show you."

The man laughed and grinned, showing his white teeth against his dark beard. "Fight a woman? I would never bring myself so low," he retorted.

I drew my sword from its sheath and pressed its point to the hollow of his throat. "No, I insist," I said with a sick smile.

The man didn't move. I raised an eyebrow. "What, do you not dare cross blades with me, sir?" He continued to glare at me. I clicked in mock-disapproval, and said, "A shame, for I had been so hoping I would get some practice."

I turned away from him, about to put away my sword again. But before I did, he cried, "How _dare _you insult me, you queer little bitch!" and came at me with a sledgehammer and stone chisel.

He swung at me with the hammer, and I rolled out of the way as it hit the ground with a heavy _thud. _I slashed my sword down, but he blocked the blow with the metal chisel, and my blade slid off of it. He made another swipe with the hammer, but again I dodged the cumbersome weapon with ease.

I swung my sword at him, and he attempted to block it with the handle of the hammer. But my sword cut through the wood, splintering it in half. He flung one piece at me and it glanced off of my shoulder.

I swung my blade at his head and then struck out with my foot to trip him. He flipped onto his back, and I pointed my sword at his throat again.

But I had forgotten about the sharp chisel. He flung the thing at me like a knife, and I automatically blocked my head with my left arm. It struck my forearm, cutting deep, and pain flashed through my arm.

I jabbed my sword harder against his neck, drawing blood. "If I _ever_ catch sight of you again, I will not hesitate to run you through with this sword." I drew back my blade, and then kicked him. "Get up, and get out of this country," I hissed.

He climbed to his feet and disappeared in a sullen silence.

I turned to the crowd of workers that had assembled during this dispute. "Let this be an example to _all _of you. _Do not cross me. _You will take orders from a woman whether you like it or not, or you will leave this camp and gather no pay. Here in Narnia, women are the equals of men, and you all had better grow accustomed to it."

With that, I thrust my sword back into its sheath fiercely and strode off to my hut, leaving the stunned and silent men behind. Once inside the privacy of my little house, I inspected my wound. It was deep, nearly to the bone, and wide, but certainly not the worst I'd ever had. I poured some wine into it to sterilize it, and then bandaged it as best I could.

I stood and stared into the small mirror on the wall. It was still a shock to look in and see a young girl looking back.

Before I knew it, I was crying, and tears trickled down my freckled cheeks. I went and sat on my small bed, drawing my knees up to my chest and resting my chin on top of them. _Oh, Edmund, and Peter, and Susan, and Lucy. I miss you so much._

We worked until the first snows of November, and then I sent everyone home for the winter. I holed up back at the castle with Caspian. Winter reminded me of my time long, long ago with Rooner, the elderly faun that hid me in his home during the reign of the White Witch, before the Pevensies came. I also remembered the snowball fights with them, and building snowmen with Lucy. A tear would sneak its way out of my eye every now and then.

Caspian and I hunted sometimes for something to do and to get out of the castle. But even so, I was glad when the snows melted away and the trees bloomed and baby animals were born. I went back to building, and the castle began to take shape. By June, we had the outer and main walls built and were working on making them beautiful.

We had to clear away a lot of the gnarled old apple trees, leaving a well-kept orchard behind. I had the dwarfs, who were known for their carpentry, smithing skills, and glass blowing begin to work on making the stained glass windows that would one day dapple the Great Hall with their colorful light.

Caspian came down during the summer to see how much progress we had made. He told me it took his breath away.

"It looks even more beautiful than I had imagined it. Just like it was when King Peter and Edmund and Queen Susan and Lucy lived in it. I will not want to return to live in the other castle now."

I smiled, glad that he approved. I wished Edmund were here to see it. But then again, I always wished he were here. I wondered when I would get to see him again. It had been a year and a half, nearing two years. How much time had passed in that world?

Fall came again, and the leaves burst into vibrant color before the trees shed them for winter. Then the frosts came, and work halted again. I turned seventeen again. We went back to the castle, and spent another long and lonely winter. Caspian had won the people's trust in the town, and when they saw him they ran forward and laid themselves down at his feet. His people loved him. They were still unsure of me, but I think they didn't mind having me around.

One evening I went into Caspian's study, where he was bent over the books with Trumpkin. I watched them for awhile before he addressed me.

"Do you need something?" he asked with a smile. Trumpkin continued to work.

"I was thinking about something," I said. He waited for me to go on. "I…Do you remember sailing on the Calormene ship?" He nodded. "Well, Narnia used to be unrivaled seafarers. We had the biggest, fastest, most beautiful ships in our harbors."

Caspian looked as if he were thinking hard. "Are you saying that you want to build a ship?"

I nodded. "We need to go and see how the Islands are faring. You know, Galma and Terebinthia, and the Seven Isles and the Lone Islands? They were all in Narnian possession once, but who knows what they're like now," I said.

"But how are we to build a ship? Could we not just buy one from the Calormenes?"

I shook my head vigorously. "No. We must build our own. We can find someone who knows how."

He turned away and walked to the window, staring at the falling snow. After several minutes he turned back to me. "There were seven lords that were friends of my father. They did not fear the sea. After he died, Miraz sent them on a journey to find the end of the world. But none of them ever returned, as I am sure Miraz hoped they would not." He paused. "If we were to build this ship, I want to look for them." I nodded. He sighed. "All right then. We will find someone who knows how to build a Narnian ship."

Spring came again, and I continued working on Cair Paravel while Caspian oversaw the building of the ship. We had found some builders in Calormen who were from the Lone Islands. I drew out what the ship should look like. She was being constructed in Glasswater, not far from the Cair. So now we both had construction projects to keep us busy.

By May, the castle was nearly finished. The dwarfs installed the windows, and other Beasts cleaned out all of the mortar dust. Wooden floors were put in most rooms, and we purchased fabric to make the draperies, rugs, and carpets. I commissioned Narnia and Archenland's best carpenters to craft the grand furniture that was to fill the castle.

Finally in June, after nearly three years of work, Cair Paravel was complete. Once again the castle stood proudly overlooking the sea, shining regally. The worker's camp had turned into the beginnings of a town, and a wide paved road ran along from it to the castle gates. On either side it was lined by tall evergreen trees that looked like upside-down paintbrushes and smooth grass. The gates were ornate, golden structures that opened into the courtyard.

The entire sprawling structure covered the whole face of the cliff that jutted out into the sea. You could see the grand spires from miles away, and the golden domes shone in the sun.

It made me cry, remembering the Golden Age of Narnia.

"How is the ship coming along?" I asked Caspian soon after Cair Paravel was done.

He ran his fingers through his long, shining hair. "It is nearly finished as well. It is not a large ship, but it will do. And it is built after the ships of your time in Narnia."

I nodded. "That's very good. But Caspian, when you talk about ships and boats, you refer to them as 'she' and 'her,' not 'it'." I smiled when I saw his confusion.

Caspian looked puzzled at this, but accepted it.

"What do you plan on naming her?" I asked.

Caspian smiled. "Since we will be sailing east, I will name it-_her, _the _Dawn Treader, _because the sun rises in the east and it will be as if she will be sailing into the dawn."

I grinned. It was a good name, and I liked his reason. I couldn't wait to be on a ship again, a real Narnian ship, racing through the white crested waves, the ocean spray splashing my face and the salty wind whipping my hair around. I did love it at sea.

We took up residence in Cair Paravel. I moved into my old room, or what was exactly like it. I had designed it to look exactly how it had, with the big glass windows overlooking the ocean. Caspian, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, and Reepicheep came with us. It was much more beautiful than Miraz's castle, and there was more light and cheer. Several Archenlander girls came to serve as maids, as they had long ago.

I was happier in this castle, but being there still made me lonely and long for Edmund and the others. My thoughts were almost entirely consumed by him, Lucy, Peter, and Susan. Cair Paravel seemed so empty without them. The four thrones, recovered from the treasure room, served as a reminder to what had been.


	21. Chapter 21

**Yeah, so this chapter is kind of…boring. But it was necessary to help the story along.**

**As always, thank you for the reviews! And to answer many of ya'll's questions, yes, I am going to write the story into the **_**The Voyage of the Dawn Treader**_**. **

**I'm also very excited for the movie! You guys have told me how you're looking forward to it. I think it's going to be spectacular from what I've read online and seen from the trailers. Also from pictures I've seen, as I'm a little bit obsessive. (PolarBride- Eustace will be played by Will Poulter, and I think he fits the part perfectly! It's too bad you can't see the trailers :P)**

**The next chapters will be slow in coming since I'm going to be very busy in the next few weeks and all. But I'll try to keep working, as long as ya'll keep reading!**

**Thanks!**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The _Dawn Treader _was completed in late July and I saw her for the first time when Caspian had her sailed up into the bay outside of the castle.

She was small, only about 130 feet long. But she was beautiful, brightly painted in reds, golds, and greens. The sides of her hull were smooth, richly stained wood and emerald wings ran along the sides.

At the bow, there was a handsome head of a dragon, its mouth open as if about to blow out a cloud of fire and smoke. Its neck attached to the hull and where its "chest" was at the prow was like a golden breastplate of armor.

A curling tail sprouted out of the stern of the boat, ending in an arrow. The single sail was a beautiful shade of violet, and the woodwork was stained a dark, glossy brown. Overall, she was breathtaking.

I went aboard and Caspian showed me around eagerly. The captain's cabin was small but tidy, a little bed in the corner, a desk, and windows curving around the back, looking down onto the sapphire waters. A small decorative shield of Aslan's face adorned the wall. He showed me the little room that I would stay in on the voyage, and then we continued the tour of the rest of the ship.

We set sail in August. I said my goodbyes to Anduril, because I wasn't going to force him to come on this extensive voyage. He hated the sea, and Aslan only knew how much land we would see. Caspian left Trumpkin to oversee the country's affairs while we were gone.

Reepicheep, however, insisted upon coming with us, and Lord knows we couldn't refuse him. Caspian hired a crew of Telmarines who were not afraid of the sea, and they all learned how to sail the ship. It didn't take long for them to become experts at maneuvering the vessel.

I packed several dresses, because we were going to the Islands and civilized places first. I also packed my armor, chain mail, and my tunics and boots and other casual garb. I hung my shield on the wall, and kept my sword and its sheath right beside my tiny bed, as well as my small dagger in its little holder on the inside of my right boot.

I stood on deck watching behind us as the castle and the cliffs got smaller and smaller as we sailed farther out of the bay. The water turned to a deeper blue as we made our way into the open sea, and the _Dawn Treader _began to rise up and down with the bigger waves. Her purple sail was stretched taut above me, and the wind was behind us, pushing us towards Galma.

We reached Galma the next morning, and found that the island was still loyal to Narnia, despite the fact that they hadn't had any word from the mainland in more than a century. The governor had us to dinner that evening, and the next morning we set sail once again, this time for Terebinthia.

Terebinthia was much the same as Galma, and we spent only a short time there restocking for the longer journey north to the Seven Isles. It took us twelve days to reach the cluster of islands.

The Seven Isles' climate was more like that of Norway in our world. It was colder, being so far north, and there were many mountains and fjords and rivers. The main colony, Redhaven, is established on Brenn, which is where we landed.

I was wearing my winter tunic and was rather glad I had thought to pack it, because it was cold and raining when we arrived at the manor house. I also sorely missed Andy when I had to walk through the muddy roads up from the harbor with the men. Caspian, being king, borrowed a horse, although it was nothing more than a scruffy pony. Apparently that was all they had here. Short, hardy ponies for farming, driving, and riding that were born and grew up on the moors and in the fjords.

I bathed and changed into one of my gowns for dinner. Caspian was dressed in some of his finery, and looked quite handsome, his jaw cleanly shaven and his hair pulled back into a small pigtail. I heard the maids giggling and blushing as he walked by. We had a pleasant dinner with the governor and his wife and children before retiring to a very welcome and warm bed.

We spent a nearly two weeks restocking and enjoying the hospitality of Redhaven. We hunted on the moors, galloping along on the sturdy little ponies. We had dinner in the great hall of the manor house every night, and exchanged stories. On our last evening there, the governor asked to talk to Caspian in his study.

The entire time, the governor hadn't been very sure what to think of me. He didn't know who I was, and at first he thought Caspian and I were engaged. But even after we had assured him we were not, he still believed that we were somehow romantically linked.

In other words, he thought I was Caspian's mistress. I thought it was rather funny, but Caspian was embarrassed. Anyway, he allowed me to come in as well, because I was playing the role of Caspian's bodyguard.

"Your Majesty," the governor began. "I have come to grow very fond of you these past few days. You are a fine gentleman, and I am proud to serve you as my king."

Caspian looked embarrassed and humbly thanked him. The governor went on. "Caspian, I would like to offer my oldest daughter to you, if you would wish to marry her."

Caspian looked rather surprised and was shocked into silence. The girl in question was a plain girl with blondish hair and gray eyes the color of the sea around here. She was of medium height and build, and had a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She wore her hair in two braids, like I did most of the time, and always wore a very serious expression. I had never seen her smile, and she only spoke when spoken to.

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for Caspian's response.

Finally he hesitantly answered. "Governor, I…I am very gracious of your offer of your beautiful daughter." I bit my lip to keep from laughing. "But sir, I am only nineteen, and I would like to see more of the world and…I do not think that I am ready to be a husband." I stood and curtsied to the governor, excusing myself on account of being rather tired from the entertainment this evening. I would let Caspian and the Governor work this out among themselves, but I didn't want to stay in that room any longer, for the tension in the air was palpable.

We set sail the next afternoon, the _Dawn Treader's _violet sail taut and full, her green sides slicing smoothly through the steely gray water. We sailed between the islands of Brenn and Mont, and then back out again into the open sea, sailing south-east. I was glad in some ways to continue our voyage, but I would also miss the hot meals and warm beds and baths.

Most days, I sat near the deck railing, staring out across the flat blue horizon, just enjoying the peace and daydreaming. I mostly dreamed about Edmund and the others, thinking now it had been nearly three years since they disappeared through the twin trunks of that old oak.

It was really hard to believe it had been that long since they had gone back. I was nineteen now (for the second time), the same age as Caspian.

I wondered what the Pevensies were doing right now. How much time had passed there? Were they much older? Had they graduated school yet? Was the war over? I sighed, frustrated that I had no way of knowing what was happening in the world I used to call my own.

We ran into a few small storms, mostly just rain and more wind. Other than that, the days ran into each other in a blur of blue water and salty wind. I grew rather restless, and wished I had some female company onboard. I talked to Reep, and practiced with my sword. I painted with my watercolors and sketched the ship. I read the few books I had brought with me. And I longed for the adventure to truly begin.


	22. Chapter 22

**This chapter is really long, so it should keep you guys happy for a while. **** Thanksgiving break will be over soon and then it'll be back to school and work and all that, so I won't have a lot of time to write, so my next updates may be slow in coming.**

**-Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel: You get your wish his chapter, haha**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**~Edmund~**

I tossed my suitcase onto the bed with a frustrated sigh, where it landed with a squeak of the springs in the mattress. I ran my fingers through my hair, surveying the small, ugly room at my Aunt and Uncle's house.

As I began to unpack and fling things into drawers, I reflected on my rotten luck and how I had gotten to come here.

Mum and Dad, now that the war was finally over and Dad was able to come home, had decided to take a holiday to America. Oh, and Susan, being the second oldest and the most spoiled, got to go with them. They had left by steamship the morning before.

Normally, we would be fine staying by ourselves in Finchley. But Peter was off at University, and Mum and Dad didn't think Lu and I were old enough to stay at home by ourselves for so long.

"Ridiculous that I'm thirty-two and I'm not allowed to go along on their merry little adventure. Instead, I have to stay here and be babysat by my bloody relatives," I muttered irately to myself.

So since I couldn't be left alone, Lucy and I had been sent to stay for the duration of their trip at our Uncle Harold and Aunt Alberta's house.

"I hope you haven't damaged my beetle collection with all of your rampaging around like that," I heard a snotty voice say behind me. I stopped putting away a shirt and sighed, closing my eyes briefly.

Turning around to face the owner of the voice, I said, "No, you needn't worry about your horrid little collections. Believe me, I wouldn't dare touch them." I grimaced, thinking about the many species of insects he had pinned to little labeled cards displayed around the house.

The little brat I was speaking to was my insufferable cousin, Eustace Clarence Scrubb. He was quite deserving of such a name.

He was just one more reason I despised my current situation.

As he continued on about science and bugs and Harold and Alberta (Eustace called his parents by their first names) and his ghastly school, Experiment House, I let my mind wander to other subjects, ones that didn't give me a severe headache.

My favorite such subject was Rosie.

My heart clenched when I thought about her, and for the millionth time, I found myself wondering about what she had been doing waiting for me. How long had she been waiting now? Had she given up hope of ever seeing me again? I wouldn't know until Aslan decided it was time.

I spent a lot of my time in Lucy's room, where I could finally get away from horrid Eustace and our Aunt and Uncle. There we would lay on her bed, staring at a painting that hung crookedly on the wall.

It was a painting of a ship sailing atop the crest of a deep blue wave. The ship had a huge purple sail and the head of a dragon.

I spent a lot of time on my back, hands behind my head, studying it. But one day, I sat up suddenly and walked over to it.

"Lucy," I said. "Have you seen this ship before?" I frowned at it; it had been bothering me, because it looked so familiar. But that was impossible; there weren't any ships that looked like that in all of Great Britain.

Lucy looked to the painting and smiled. "Yes. It's very Narnian looking, isn't it?" She walked over to the painting and me.

I sighed. _Of course. That's why it unsettles me so. _"Yeah. Just another reminder that we're _here _and not there," I said bitterly.

Suddenly, a voice from behind us startled me. I turned to face Eustace, who sauntered into the room, saying, "There once were two orphans who wasted their time believing in a Narnian nursery rhyme."

I clenched my jaw and turned my back to him again, trying to ignore his jibes.

"It's not a fascinating piece of art anyway. It's hideous," he spat as he sat on the bed, his arms crossed.

Still we ignored him. Lucy smiled and said, "Edmund, it looks like the water's actually moving," she said, tilting her head to the side.

I looked back at the picture, noticing that it did almost look like the waves were rising up and down, and the ship was growing closer.

"What rubbish! See, that's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairytales all the time!" Eustace spewed.

But my attention was elsewhere.

"Edmund, the painting!" Lucy cried as suddenly a gust of wind blew back our hair and salty ocean spray hit me in the face.

I jumped back as suddenly water began to gush from the frame of the picture, falling to the floor.

"Oh!" Eustace exclaimed. "I ought to smash the old thing!" He shouted angrily as he leaped from the bed to reach for the frame.

"No, Eustace, no!" I shouted, grabbing for him as he pulled it from the wall, the water gushing into his face. My mouth was filled with salty water as I tried to wrestle it from his grasp, Lucy squealing on his other side.

"Help me!" Eustace shouted, spitting water as well.

The three of us staggered across the room, trying to rip the painting from each other.

"_Let go!" _Lucy yelled, finally jerking it away from him and dropping it on the floor as I staggered back, the water on the floor now knee deep.

The water continued to flow from the frame of the painting, quickly filling the room. I heard Lucy squeal and fall down with a splash and tried to get to my feet.

But a chair was floating nearby and I tripped over it, landing face-first in the briny water. I sank down a little bit, suddenly aware that the floor was no longer there and we were surrounded by floating furniture.

I kicked to the surface, which was about fifteen feet about my head. Lucy was the first to surface, her dark hair plastered to her head. She gasped for air and thrashed around, trying to tread water in the ocean swells.

I followed her, also breaking the surface and coughing. I blinked the water out of my burning eyes, suddenly in the face of bright sunlight.

When my eyes were cleared, I looked around me to see the ship from the painting, now life-sized, sailing towards us, and two figures dove over the side and began swimming towards us.

**~Rose~**

One day when we were about halfway to the Lone Islands, I was sitting on my usual spot along the rail. I was dressed in my loose white shirt tucked into my breeches and my boots. I had my long red hair braided into twin braids to keep it from getting blown around and tangled in the strong breeze. I was leaning my head against my hand, half asleep with the warm sun on my back, when I heard a splash and a cry.

I looked out across the water, thinking one of the men had gone overboard. I held my hand over my brow to block the sun and saw something splashing about in the waves out a little ways from the ship.

"Drinian! Caspian!" I cried. They came to my side and looked out as well. Drinian ran to get a rope or ladder, and Caspian quickly pulled his shirt up and over his head and yanked off his boots.

I did the same, but left my shirt on, of course (I am a girl after all). We dove over the rail, hands outstretched to slice smoothly into the freezing water. I blew out through my nose to keep the water out and blinked against the salty water burning my eyes. I broke the surface and began swimming towards the figures, Caspian by my side.

When I got close enough to see them, I inhaled a lungful of ocean water and began sputtering and coughing. I couldn't believe what I saw.

But I slid my arms around one of the thrashing figures, the one that was having the most trouble and began swimming back to the waiting ship, while Caspian got the other, saying, "It's all right! I've got you!"

Lucy turned in the water to see him and cried joyously, "Caspian!"

He grinned and said, "Lucy!"

The men's heads were all hanging over the side as Drinian threw a wooden beam tied with ropes on either side to left us up. I held onto it with one hand while holding the boy in the other arm and walked up the side as I was hoisted up.

Caspian and Lucy came up next, Caspian holding Lucy closely to him to make sure she wouldn't fall.

I dropped the boy I had rescued onto the deck where he sputtered and coughed and turned to fling my arms around Edmund's neck. He slid his hands around my waist and lifted me up, twirling me around. I kissed him hard, and there were a few whistles from the sailors. It felt so wonderful to kiss him after so long.

But finally we had to pull apart. I turned to face the boy and Lucy and Caspian. Lucy ran forward and hugged me tightly, crying, "Oh Rose! We've missed you so much!" Edmund slid an arm back around me, hugging me close.

A few of the men were still staring at me and whistling, and I looked down. My loose white shirt was of course soaked, and clung to me, leaving little to the imagination. I quickly crossed my arms, my face flushing.

The boy was still sitting on the deck in a puddle, wailing as no one his age should. He looked to be about thirteen, with sandy hair and freckles, and a round face.

"Take me back! I say, let me go _back_!" He screamed, running to the rail and looking over as if expecting to see wherever it was he had come from.

Caspian looked puzzled. "Well, we would, except that we don't know how to get you back."

The boy screamed when he spotted Reepicheep. "Ugh! What _is _the bloody thing? Take it away!"

Reepicheep immediately drew his sword and asked Caspian for permission. "Sir, if you would allow me to duel this boy who has insulted the honor of a Mouse?"

Caspian looked to Edmund and Lucy.

Edmund sighed. "That's our cousin, Eustace. He got here by accident."

Caspian nodded and turned to Rynelf. "Rynelf, if you would please take Eustace to a cabin below and get him some dry clothes and some wine for us all?"

He clasped hands with Edmund, saying, "Well met, your majesties, well met!"

Everywhere I looked there were grinning faces. Rynelf came back with the wine, and we eagerly drained our cups, letting the pungent beverage warm our icy bodies.

Rynelf then tried to excort Eustace to his cabin below, but instead he jerked away and stood in front of Caspian.

"Where the blazes am I?" he shouted at Caspian.

One of the minotaurs stepped up behind me and said in his gravelly, deep voice, "You're on the _Dawn Treader_."

The horrid boy looked at him once and then collapsed to the deck in a dead faint.

The minotaur looked back and forth from us and Eustace, sprawled out on the deck, and asked, "Was it something I said?"

We all exploded into laughter fueled by the adrenaline and excitement of the arrival of our friends. I felt Edmund's heart beating as he held me tightly against him, and leaned my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. Suddenly the world seemed perfect, the sun brighter than it had ever been before, and nothing could ever make it seem dark again.

I shivered involuntarily, and suddenly Edmund became aware again that we were soaking wet.

"Oh! Rosie, you must be freezing. Come on, let's go down and change," he said, taking my hand and pulling me toward the stairs.

I nodded and smiled. "I'll show you where your cabins will be, and I can find you some clothes to wear."

I took Lucy below to my room where I gave her a spare tunic I had. I also changed into dry clothes before heading back up.

That evening, we all sat around Caspian's table, sipping wine and enjoying the best of the food that we had brought with us. Well, all except Eustace, who was horribly seasick in his cabin.

"Don't you have your cordial? Wouldn't that take away the worst of the sickness?" I whispered to Lucy next to me.

"Yes, I have, but I shan't want to miss this dinner, so I will go afterwards when we are done." She answered with a wicked smile. I grinned and nodded in understanding. It appeared Lucy and Edmund didn't care much for their cousin.

"So Caspian, how long has it been? I see you're both older," Edmund observed, looking from me to Caspian.

We nodded. "It's been three years since you went back. How long has it been in your world?"

Edmund sighed. "Only a year." He looked at me and gave me a half smile. "So I guess that means you're older than me now. I'm only sixteen!"

We laughed. "How are Susan and Peter?" I asked.

"Well, Mum and Dad and Susan are in America for six weeks, and Pete is at University. We had to go stay with our horrid aunt and uncle and Eustace, but we're glad we did now!" Lucy said with a grin.

I laughed. "So am I."

Edmund turned to Caspian. "How are things back home?"

Caspian gave a small smile. "I think they are going well. There are more and more Old Narnians now, and the Telmarines that stayed seem to be content." Edmund nodded.

"Are you still living in that dreadful castle?" Lucy asked with a shudder.

I grinned proudly, exchanging a glance with Caspian.

"No," Caspian answered, mirroring my smile. "We have rebuilt Cair Paravel, and restored its former glory."

They gasped. "Oh, did you? Oh, if only we could see!" Lucy cried with delight.

"Well maybe we could," Edmund said. "Where exactly are you headed on this little craft?"

Caspian leaned back in his chair, pushing his empty plate away. "My uncle Miraz banished seven good lords who were friends of my father's. He sent them on a voyage east because they did not fear the sea. But they never returned. I want to try and find them, if possible."

Reepicheep piped up. "And of course we shall sail as far east as the world's end and Aslan's own country!"

I chuckled. "We shall try, Reep."

We continued to talk late into the evening.

"We just left Redhaven about a week ago." I told them. And then I giggled. "Caspian got a marriage proposal." He stared daggers at me.

Lucy was delighted. "Oh, will there be a wedding? What's she like?"

Still glaring at me, he answered, "No, there will be not be a wedding. I did not accept the proposal." He looked back at Lucy. "As for what she is like, she has freckles. And squints. And she is as round as a barrel."

I gasped. "Oh, Caspian, she is not as bad as that!"

I scolded him at the same time Lucy said, "Poor girl."

Edmund just chuckled. I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms and glared at Caspian across the table.

"What's wrong with freckles?" I asked with contempt, for every visible part of my body was speckled with them. He seemed to realize what he had said, and seemed to be searching for an answer. I was laughing on the inside, but he didn't need to know that.

Eustace remained dreadful company, even after Lucy had cured his seasickness. He still moaned and griped about every little thing, and picked on Reepicheep every chance he got.

"Why is this ship so bloody small?" he complained one day soon after their arrival.

I cursed him under my breath and went on ignoring him.

"In England, there are ocean liners twenty times as big as this little piece of driftwood! And they have _real _rooms with comfortable beds and good food and stewards who actually know their places and _help _you. And _those _ships don't have sails! They have actual engines!" He went on complaining about how ugly and little and cramped the _Dawn Treader _was and I could feel my anger mounting.

Finally, I cracked. I spun on my heel and yelled, "Eustace! Shut up! No one enjoys your company! Whining is not going to get you home! The only place it'll get you is flung over the side of this ship and left to be devoured by whatever swims beneath these waves! So I would advise you to shut your mouth, or at least go somewhere where no one else has to listen to it!"

His pudgy face turned red and he spluttered, "Back home, girls knew their places, and knew better than to talk like that! I don't know what Edmund sees in you, you little—"

The next thing he knew, his face was red and smarting and he was down on his butt, legs splayed out, with me standing over him. I had my dagger out, the one I always kept in my boot, under his chin. "You say another bad word about me, my friends, or this boat, and we'll end up like this again," I growled softly. Then I turned on my heel and went below to find Edmund.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello all! I have decided to celebrate the weekend with a new chapter! So I hope you enjoy it, and I'm sorry for the wait!**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

After six more days of sailing, we finally spotted the gray smudge on the horizon that signaled land. Eustace was extremely glad, and was in a much better mood. But he seemed to think he could get back to England.

"As soon as we land, I will be taken to the nearest train station so that I may get back home, and away from this dreadful boat!" He demanded.

I sighed. "Eustace, there are no trains on Felimath. There are no trains anywhere. There are no ocean liners, aeroplanes, trains, automobiles, or electricity! No one here even knows what they are! Do you understand?" I told him in exasperation.

"Caspian, please may we walk across Felimath and let the boat pick us up on the other side? Then we can be ferried across the channel to Doorn. And I would so like to feel the soft grass under my feet," Lucy pleaded.

Caspian, of course, relented. No one could resist Lucy.

When the water got too shallow for the _Dawn Treader _, one of the sailors took us to shore on a rowboat. They promised to sail around and pick us up again on the other side.

Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, Caspian, and I struck out across the long, narrow island of Felimath. The main town and governor's house was on Doorn, the second largest island, while Felimath and the smaller island of Avra were used only for farming and grazing livestock. They were largely uninhabited, except by a few shepherds.

Lucy skipped on ahead of the others, followed by Caspian. Edmund and I hung back, walking slowly, enjoying the time alone. His hand found mine, and we walked close together. I enjoyed the closeness, feeling his muscular arm brushing against mine, his warm presence next to me.

But Eustace lagged behind us, huffing and puffing and complaining, largely ruining the trek for all of us. "Why did we have to come across this bloody island?" he whined. "Why didn't we just sail around to the city?"

I groaned. "We thought it would be nice to stretch our legs and get a change of scenery," I called back. He mumbled something unintelligible.

We saw a little knoll up ahead and decided to take a rest on it before we reached the channel. Lucy and Caspian disappeared up through the trees, followed by Eustace, who was eager for a rest. Edmund and I took our time hiking up the mound.

We stepped out into the sunshine, but instead of a peaceful rest with a beautiful view, we were confronted by six huge burly men. To my right I caught a glimpse of Lucy and Eustace being held, with Caspian struggling against his captor. I cursed myself for not bringing my sword. I tensed, ready to fight.

"Let them go!" I shouted angrily. Edmund opened his mouth to warn me, but before I could turn to face it, a heavy blow struck me across the back of my head. I slumped forward, my vision swimming for a moment. But to my relief, he hadn't hit me just right, to knock me clean out.

I pretended to pitch forward onto the grass so that I could get my dagger out of my boot. _Ah, got it! _I heard Edmund struggling and the others shouted and fighting as well, and then big arms picked me up and dropped me next to the others.

"Rose, are you all right?" Lucy asked worriedly. I didn't answer, because I was supposed to be unconscious. I kept my blade hidden, even as they sat me up to tie my hands behind my back.

But before they could fasten the ropes, I was up and slashing at my captors. I sliced across one's arm, and he howled in pain and dropped me. I tried to get to the others, but I already knew it was hopeless. They were all upon me, twisting my arm around so that I had to drop my knife.

I reversed his hold so that I was in control of the man, but the others soon had me around the neck, arms and shoulders as well. I kicked and thrashed around, fighting them as hard as I could. I bit fingers that tried to cover my mouth, and the man jerked them away. I was surprised to taste blood, and soon realized it was my own. It was trickling down from where they had struck me in the head. Finally, exhausted, I slumped forward, giving in.

They quickly bound my hands behind me and fastened me to the chain that connected me to the others. I leaned back against a tree trunk, closing my eyes.

"Check them all for other weapons," one of the men commanded.

Rough hands felt over my body, searching for concealed blades. The hands roamed a bit too much, and I struck out at him with my boot, landing a kick square in his chest.

"Eh? Wot's going on over there?" The boss asked as the man grunted. He stood again, glaring at me, and brushed himself off. He was dirty, with long-ish stringy brown hair and a mustache. He wore jewelry and had a gold tooth. Exactly what I had always pictured a pirate to look like.

"I demand to be taken to the Governor! He shall hear of this vile treatment!" Caspian shouted furiously at them, but the men just chuckled.

"Eh, his Sufficiency Lord Gumpas don't give a care 'bout you lot, nor my trade! Perfec'ly legal in the Islands."

I felt my anger mount with a touch of fear. "I know what you are," I said shakily. "You're a blasted slave merchant!"

He turned and laughed at me. "You're rather a bright one aren't you, lassie? Yes, a pretty one too. You'll fetch a good price, maybe two hundred crescents even! You and that talking rat will be the best of the lot. And maybe the little girl, but she's so small she won't be good for much. Maybe when she's a few years older, might make a good bedmate for a rich Tarkaan," he mused, looking us over.

I was shaking with fury at what he said about Lucy. She looked like she was about to cry, and the boys were even angrier.

"Well, come on then, boys," the despicable slaver said to his subordinates. They jerked the chain and yanked us to our feet, and we set out again.

We reached a little village on the beach, and the men roughly pulled us towards a dingy little rowboat.

But before we got in, a man came out of a small inn and called to the slaver. "Well Pug, more of your usual wares?" He called.

I studied him closely. He wore a neat, pointed beard and fine clothes. He was tall and carried himself in the way of a noble.

Pug bowed low to him. "Yes, your Lordship."

The man nodded and looked at Caspian. "How much do you want for that one there?" He asked, nodding towards Caspian.

I yelled out furiously, "You coward! You disgrace men! Buying another human to force to do your own backbreaking work! You ought to-" but I didn't get to tell him what he ought to do, for one of the burly brutes smacked me across the face, sending my head reeling and my lip bleeding.

Pug carried on as if I hadn't spoken. "Ah, I knew your Lordship would pick on the best. No deceiving your Lordship with anything second rate. That boy, now I've taken a fancy to him myself. Got kind o' fond o' 'im, I 'ave. I'm that tender-'earted I didn't ever ought to 'ave taken this job. Still, to a customer like your Lordship-"

He was interrupted by the man. "Tell me your price, carrion," he said, clearly bored with Pug's tricks. "Do you think I want to listen to the rigmarole of your filthy trade?"

_Mmm, filthy enough to go on supporting it, I suppose. _

"Three hundred crescents," Pug said.

The nobleman snorted. "I'll give you a hundred and fifty."

At that moment Lucy began sobbing. "Please, sir, please! Don't separate us! You don't understand! He's-" I nudged her with my elbow, telling her that Caspian couldn't be known.

"A hundred and fifty then," the Lord said.

He gave Lucy a pitying look. "As for you, little maiden, I am sorry I can't buy you all." Turning back to the slave merchant, he said, "Unrope my boy, Pug. And treat these others with kindness, or it'll be worse for you."

Pug went on saying that he was like a father to his 'stock' as he untied Caspian. I felt my own tears starting to come, but quickly wiped them away with a shrug of my shoulder. I gave him a sad smile, Lucy began weeping again, and Edmund just glowered. Eustace and Reep were silent for once. Then Caspian was led away, back into the inn.

We were taken aboard the filthy vessel that waited in the harbor. Down in the hold, there were at least fifty others crammed into the cramped quarters. There was a thin layer of grimy straw on the rough wooden floors. Many of the men were chained to the walls, thin as death with soiled clothing. The whole place stank of decay and rot.

We went into a corner where there was a bit of room. I curled into Edmund's strong embrace, and let a few tears fall. Eustace began talking as if everyone but himself was to blame for our current position.

"If you hadn't wished to stretch you bloody feet, we wouldn't be in this rot!" He shouted at Lucy, who began crying fresh tears.

"Shut up Eustace," Edmund said wearily.

We spent the night in that foul prison. I slept with my head rising and falling on Edmund's chest, his unchained arm around me. Eustace slept by himself in the corner, and Lucy and Reep on the other side of Edmund.

We were roused in the morning by Pug's men. They rebound our hands and put us on the long chains again. On deck, the dirtiest prisoners were stripped of their clothing and doused in icy water before being allowed to dress again. Then we were led down the gangplank and into the market.

There was a small platform at the front of a big open square, where the slaves were auctioned off to the highest bidder. We waited in our line for our turn to stand up there.

I could already guess at our fates. Reepicheep would go to some collector of odd and exotic animals. Eustace and Edmund would go to work the fields or be stable boys in some rich family's home.

But Lucy and I probably would get the worst deal; we would be bought by some wealthy man, for his private enjoyment in his bed. I shuddered at the thought of it.

I was the first of our group to be led up to the platform. One of the men shouted out my attributes.

"This one is a fine girl of eighteen, and a maiden at that!" My face flushed red with anger. "Look at her hair, you won't find such quality anywhere else! She'll make a fine bedmate for one of you gentlemen!" He reached over and lifted up the bottom of my shirt, trying to show off my body.

I jerked away from him, spitting at him.

He faked a grin, saying, "A fiery one, at that!" But he looked back at me, fury showing in his eyes.

Bidding commenced, and I heard my price rise steadily from one hundred crescents.

"I hear two hundred crescents, two hundred crescents! Do I hear two-hundred and twenty-five? I hear two hundred and twenty-five crescents! Do I hear two hundred and fifty crescents? No? Going once, going twice…" I squeezed my eyes shut as my fate was about to be sealed.

But the auctioneer was interrupted by the sound of bells ringing all throughout the town. Their clear melodies resounded through the square, and the crowd began to chatter excitedly about what could be happening. I looked around, craning my neck down towards the harbor.

What greeted my eyes nearly made me cry with relief.

The _Dawn Treader _sat brightly like a duck out in the harbor, and the shining armor of the Narnians marching up to the manor house glinted brightly in the sunshine. The red and gold banners flapped in the sea breeze, and children ran alongside of the armored men. People began cheering, although I doubted they knew what for. Old women stuck their heads out of windows waving rags, schoolboys ran along the procession, young women tossed flower petals to the handsome young men, and at the head of the line were Caspian and Drinian.

They marched to the gates of the Governor's mansion, and Caspian's voice carried to me, still standing on the platform.

"Open for the King of Narnia, come to visit his trusty and well-beloved servant, the governor of the Lone Islands!" After that, I don't know what happened, because I couldn't hear, but they must have sent someone down here to find us.

"King Caspian has declared that all slaves shall go free, and anyone caught selling or buying slaves from now on will be arrested and punished!" One of the Narnians announced.

He sent some soldiers to find me, Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, and Reepicheep. Edmund ran up the steps to the platform and slashed through my bonds with my knife he had retrieved. I flung my arms around his neck and he lifted me off my feet as I planted a kiss on his lips. Several young schoolgirls running by stopped to goggle and sigh.

Then we quickly made our way through the chaos and excitement on the streets to the Governor's mansion at the top of the hill, overlooking the town of Narrowhaven.

We met with Caspian who was marching into the great hall of the mansion at that very moment. A few disgraceful soldiers came stumbling out of various doorways and rooms, their armor rusted and crooked and wiping their mouths. I raised a disdainful eyebrow.

At a table full of food sat the Governor Gumpas, a rather plentiful man with reddish gray hair that looked like a wisp of duck fluff.

He glanced up at our boisterous entrance and said, "No interviews without appointments except between nine and ten pm on second Saturdays."

Caspian nodded to the man beside him, who I recognized as the Lord who had bought him yesterday. I was quite confused, but then Caspian stepped aside and I went forward with Drinian.

Drinian and I each grabbed an end of the table, lifted it, and hurled it aside, scattering letters, inkwells, quill-pens, and parchment. Then we went and yanked the chair out from under the large Gumpas, tossing it aside as well. Caspian went and sat in the chair and laid his blade across his lap. He fixed his icy gaze on the Governor.

"My Lord," he said coldly, "You have not given us quite the welcome we expected. I am the King of Narnia."

The fat man looked quite flustered. "N-Nothing about it in the correspondence. Nothing in the minutes. We have not been notified of any such thing. All irregular. Happy to consider any application…" He went on mumbling all sorts of responses.

Caspian was not amused. He continued in his heavy Telmarine accent. "And we are to inquire into your Sufficiency's conduct of your office. Firstly, I find no record that the tribute due from these Islands to the crown of Narnia has been paid in about 150 years."

He paused, waiting to see what Gumpas would say to this. The man just mumbled something about the council next month, so Caspian continued.

"I also find it very clearly written in our laws that if the tribute is not delivered, the whole debt is to be paid by the Governor of the Lone Islands out of his private purse."

At this, Gumpas stood up straighter and began to pay real attention. "But sir, this is an economic impossibility…Your Majesty must be joking!" He cried.

Caspian stared back at him coolly. "I do not joke." I could attest to this.

"Secondly, I want to know why you have permitted this abominable and unnatural traffic of slaves to grow up here, contrary to the ancient custom and usage of our dominions," Caspian asked.

I really wanted to hear Gumpas' excuse for that one. "Necessary, unavoidable," he answered in his quick, choppy, infuriating way.

I was really beginning to hate this man, and I tightened my hold on my knife.

"An essential part of the economic development of the islands, I assure. Our present burst of prosperity depends on it."

"Ha!" I barked humorlessly. "You are a-"

Caspian cleared his throat, looking at me pointedly. I bit off my sentence, not speaking the string of things I was about to say. Edmund took my hand, raising an eyebrow.

Caspian went on. "What need have you of slaves?" he asked.

"For export, Your Majesty. Sell 'em to Calormen mostly; and we have other markets. We are a great center of trade," Gumpas stated with pride, puffing out his ample front.

Caspian nodded. "In other words, you do not need them. They are not essential to the economy of the Lone Islands." Gumpas gave him a fatherly smile, or at least his impression of one. It was rather gruesome, actually. "Your Higness is too young to understand such matters. I have statistics, graphs, figures…" Caspian stared at him stonily. "I am a man of nineteen. I am well able to run an entire country. I should think I know if slaves are a necessity." He then stood and said, "The trade will stop, understand, your Sufficiency?" Gumpas started speaking in short, choppy sentences. "I can take no responsibility for this action," he said, his fluff of hair waving. "Very well, you are relieved of your office," Caspian said, turning back to the man who had bought him as a slave. He was eager to be done with this, as was I. Gumpas began opening and closing his mouth, trying to form coherent sentences, but this made him look rather like a fish trying to breath out of water. I stifled a laugh.

The Lord, who I learned was named Bern, knelt in front of Caspian. He took the proper oaths, and Caspian named him the Duke of the Lone Islands, rather than Governor. Then Bern promptly put his new power to good use by ordering the servants and secretaries about, cleaning up the mess of the mansion.

***I would just like to say that in the movie (which comes out this FRIDAY!), I believe that, juding by the previews and different clips I've seen from the movie, there will be a battle at the Lone Islands and not just them marching up the hill and showing Gumpas who's boss. But since I don't know the details of that battle, I couldn't write it here. **


	24. Chapter 24

…**Or two new chapters, maybe more, depending on how productive I'm feeling. **

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

We went to the stables and found a few horses, though they were poorly cared for. I saddled and mounted a leggy chestnut mare, whose tail was full of snarls and burrs and who had dried sweat still caked around her girth area from the last time she was ridden. I patted her neck, promising I would tidy her up when we got back.

We clattered down the cobblestone streets to the slave market to oversee the freedom of the captives there. Pug was arrested, as were the other slave merchants, and we made sure that the slaves were put on ships back to Galma and Terebinthia, and wherever else they came from. It was chaotic, and I was very glad to be done and get back to the mansion.

But before I could go to bed, I had to make good on my promise to the horses, and I mucked all eight stalls, filling them with fresh straw. I scrubbed out their grimy buckets and fed them all extra grain. I gave the horses a light grooming, just making sure that they were comfortable and somewhat presentable. By the time I was done, it was well after dark, and I collapsed into the bath tub, nearly falling asleep in the warm water.

We had to stay at Narrowhaven for three weeks after that, to make preparations for setting out into unknown waters. The next day, the _Dawn Treader _was pulled ashore by big draft horses, and expert shipwrights went over every board and nail in her to make sure she was ready for the journey.

Edmund and I enjoyed being able to be alone, and we went riding out in the country of Doorn, just like we used to. I listened to everything that had been happening back in our world, and he in turn listened to my stories. Then we would just lie on our backs in the grass, watching the clouds roll lazily across the cerulean sky. I loved him more with every day that passed.

Edmund told me about how the war on the Continent was nearly over, and his father had been able to come home. That was how he and Mrs. Pevensie and Susan had gotten to go to America.

The _Dawn Treader _was stocked with as much food and water and ale as she could hold, which wasn't much, unfortunately. Our supplies would probably only last for about thirty days, if we stretched them. But we would sail until then.

When we departed, a great crowd gathered at the docks to see us off. The townsfolk dressed in their best clothes, waving handkerchiefs and ringing the bells. We stood on the deck of the ship, waving goodbye for now. Then we sailed around the western tip of Doorn, and could see them no more. We spent the rest of the day sailing around the southern edges of Doorn and Avra before finally heading out into the open seas once more.

Eustace was just as unbearable as he had been before. He still believed that there was some way he could get home, and that we were all plotting against him and keeping him from it.

"Caspian didn't even _try _to find me a train station, and now I'm stuck on this blasted little boat again, heading out to who-knows-where, where we'll probably all die!"

We all did our best to ignore him, but the little beast was hard to disregard.

"Only fools would go sailing off into the sea without a map or a radio system!" he exclaimed.

Other than him, it was delightful. Every morning, I woke to see the golden halos of light from the water dancing on my ceiling. I would rise out of my little bed, dress in a loose cotton shirt and roll my breeches up to the knees. It was cooler that way, and the men quite enjoyed seeing a little bit of skin. I went barefoot, because it was easier to scurry through the rigging and boots were a pain on a ship.

After dressing, I would braid my hair to keep the wind from tangling it, and then go to breakfast. Edmund and I would sit and eat at the stern, just talking quietly and enjoying each other's company. Then I played chess with Lucy and Reepicheep, or just climbed up into the rigging with a spyglass to watch for whales or land or anything else of interest in the endless stretch of water.

One day about a week after leaving Narrowhaven, I looked around behind us to see a dark mass of thunderheads piling up in the west. Over an hour, they grew closer, and the water took on a steely gray color. The wind came in bursts, the air still one moment and then cold and windy the next. I climbed back down the ropes to the deck just as Drinian cried, "All hands on deck!"

We quickly set about closing the hatches, putting out the cooking fire in the galley, and adjusting the sail.

Edmund called to me, "Rose, go down to your cabin!"

I shook my head, but his brown eyes pleaded with me, and I softened. But before I could go down, the bottom dropped out of the sky. I was soaked to the skin almost immediately.

The ship suddenly seemed to drop out from under my feet as she dove down into the valley between the waves. She then climbed back up to the crest of the next one before plummeting again. The wind was howling and the sky was so black, it seemed like we were caught in twilight.

The _Dawn Treader _spun around, causing me to stumble, even though I was used to a ship's pitching. A wall of water crashed over the rail and swept across the deck. I screamed as it knocked me off my feet, washing me to the other rail. I quickly staggered to my feet and searched for a rope. There was a coil of rope nearby, and I quickly wrapped a length of it around my waist, tying it securely as I struggled to keep my footing against the waves crashing on both sides of the little ship. I lashed the other end around the mast, hoping this would keep me secured.

I heard Drinian bellow to Lucy, who somehow was still on deck, "Get below, Ma'am!"

Thank Aslan she obeyed. I made sure she was through the door to her cabin before turning to look for Edmund and the others. Wave after wave crashed over the deck, knocking me down each time. The rain was pelting me so hard it felt like I was being stabbed repeatedly with pins, and it blinded me. I squinted out through the sheets of water, spotting Drinian at the wheel, the muscles of his arms bulging with the effort of keeping the _Dawn Treader _on course and as straight as possible.

I turned the other way to see Caspian and Edmund holding on to one of the lines, struggling to help the sailors gain control of the sail. Their hair was plastered to their foreheads, muscles taut.

Edmund saw me clinging to the mast and screamed at me, "Rose! Get off the bloody deck! Go down with Lucy and Eustace!"

I shook my head through the rain. "I'm not leaving you! Let me help!"

His eyes pleaded with me again. "Rose, please, go down below! You can help at the pump!"

I stood, well, _tried_ to stand, torn between Edmund and going to safety.

"Rose!" He cried again, as he and Caspian strained. I nodded and turned to go, untying my safety line. With it and another in hand, I stumbled over to Edmund and Caspian, and looped them around their waists. I kissed Edmund quickly on the cheek and called over the storm, "Be careful!" Then I turned and staggered back through the ankle-deep seawater on deck to the door down to the cabins.


	25. Chapter 25

**So yeah, this chapter is kind of just a fluff chapter, but was still fun anyway. The part with Reepicheep and Eustace comes from a clip I've seen of the movie, WHICH I'M GOING TO SEE TONIGHT AT 7:20! I'm so excited!**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Down in my cabin, I slumped to the floor, my heart thudding and my muscles exhausted. I caught my reflection in my mirror: my eyes and nose were red and my hair was plastered to my head. I stood again, rifling through my drawers to find a dry shirt and a leather vest to help keep me a little dryer and warmer. Then I went to find Lucy and Reepicheep.

The hurricane raged for twelve days. I spent those twelve days with Lucy, Reepicheep, and Eustace, pumping water out of the ship. Whenever Edmund or Caspian would stagger into their cabin, soaking wet and shivering, I would go to them and give them something to eat, bandage their blistered and bleeding hands, and try to find them something dry to wear. However, we all quickly ran out of dry clothing, as we couldn't wash or dry anything without a fire, and so we all spent the twelve days soaked through to the skin and cold.

On the eighth day of the typhoon, I was up on deck to relieve one of the men. The rain was still beating down horizontally, the wind screaming, and the waves the size of mountains. I had my safety line tied to the mast to keep from being swept overboard, as one poor soul had been the day before.

"Edmund! Let me take over! Go get some rest!" I called to him.

He was visibly exhausted, his cheeks hollow and his eyes red. His arms trembled with the effort of holding the lines, and his hands were bleeding through their bandages. He shook his head, but I knew he wanted to go lie down for a while. I forcefully took the line from his hands and gave him a gentle push in the direction of the cabin.

I turned back to my job, when a deafening crack split through the storm. I whipped my head around, knowing it wasn't thunder. My blood ran cold with despair as I saw the mast falling as if in slow motion, like a great tree falling towards me. The men screamed and abandoned their posts, desperately trying to get out of its path. I stood, frozen, watching the huge timber falling down, down, down, taking an impossibly long time, as Edmund screamed for me to move.

And then something collided with my right side, knocking my breath out and sending me rolling across the deck through the several inches of water that covered it. Caspian landed on top of me as I gasped for breath. The mast landed with a boom that reverberated throughout the small ship, crashing through the rail on the right side of the ship.

I stared up at Caspian, my eyes wide and short of breath.

He looked down at me, and said in bewilderment, "Why didn't you _move?"_

I shook my head, not being able to answer that myself, and he rolled off of me, helping me to my feet before we went back to work on the newest task that had presented itself.

We had to have everyone up on deck. I set to work with an axe to chop the part that had remained on the deck into pieces so we could toss them overboard. It was backbreaking work, and I nearly took the axe to Eustace while he complained about working. But finally Caspian sent me back down to my cabin, where I accidently slept for an entire day.

On the thirteenth day, I was up on deck, helping man the tiller, when the rain lessened. The torrential downpour slacked off to more of a spring shower, and the wind came in small gusts rather than constant howling.

Over the next hour, the waves decreased in size, the rain slowed to a fine drizzle, and the wind was gone completely. We all gave a great sigh of relief, and staggered to our bunks and cabins.

After the storm, the sun broke through the gray clouds, as if saying, "Sorry for being gone so long, but I'm back now."

We used buckets and cups and bowls to scoop the water off of the deck. Then we started up a fire in the galley, and had a hot meal for the first time in two weeks. We dried our clothes and enjoyed soaking up the hot sun on deck.

But there was no wind, and we had no sail, so we were stuck.

We had to have very small rations because of what was lost in the storm, and there was very little water left, maybe enough for twelve more days. Eustace complained the entire time.

"We should row back to the Lone Islands right away," he said in his pompous way.

Caspian sighed. "We cannot row back, because the men cannot do such work with so little water."

Eustace looked at him as if he were the stupidest human he'd ever encountered. "But men perspire to cool themselves down, so they would actually need _less _water," he said.

I wanted to strangle him, but Caspian didn't even dignify him with an answer.

Later, Reepicheep caught Eustace trying to steal water and an orange in the heat of the afternoon. Eustace came running up from below deck, running into one of the Minotaurs in his haste to escape the Mouse. He was carrying a butcher's knife.

"Watch it!" the Minotaur growled threateningly as Eustace smacked into his bulk.

"Sorry!" he said quickly, turning to run away again.

I tilted my head quizzically to one side and raised an eyebrow, wondering what the boy was up to as I leaned against a barrel, sharpening my dagger that I kept in my boot.

He managed to trip over several ropes and knock some tools over, causing several seamen to yell "Watch where you going" and "Hey, what're you doing?" at him.

I watched as Reepicheep ran along the rail, grabbing hold of a rope and swinging over to land, sword drawn, on a barrel in front of the boy.

"Trying to run away?" he asked. "We're on a _boat _you know."

Eustace, red-faced and out of breath, pleaded, "Look, can't we just discuss this?"

Reepicheep slashed a small hole in the front of Eustace's shirt, saying, "_That _was for stealing!" He thrust his little sword into the hole, stabbing an orange and pulling it back out, stuck on the end of his sword. "_That _was for lying!"

Then he smacked Eustace on the side of his head and said, "And _that _was for good measure!"

Eustace looked down angrily at the knife in his hand and then took a swing at the Mouse.

"Ah, that's the spirit!" Reep exclaimed gleefully, glad that he was finally fighting back, leaping back onto the rope and landing on another barrel. "We'll have ourselves a duel!"

He flung the orange off the end of his sword to me, saying "Catch!"

I caught the fruit in my open palm, both of my eyebrows now raised. I was curious to see how this would end.

"Now, come on. Take your best shot!" Reepicheep goaded Eustace.

The boy furiously stabbed at the Mouse, and Reep jumped over the blade, shouting, "That's it!"

Eustace continued to try to get the him, but Reep only continued to duck under, jump over, and roll away from all of his attempts.

But then, all of the sudden, Reepicheep seemed to lose his balance on the rail of the ship.

"Oh! Oh! Whooaaa! Oh noooo!" he cried as he fell backwards, disappearing.

Eustace ran to the rail, leaning over and searching the waves. Behind him, I saw Reepicheep appear again on the ropes and reach down to tap on his shoulder with his tail. Eustace turned to look behind him, and Reep swung down to hit him in the chest with his little feet.

"And _that," _he said as Eustace was sent stumbling forward to crash into a basket, "is that."

We all burst into laughter at Reepicheep's clever victory as Eustace, sprawled across the deck, tried to struggle to his feet.

"What was that all about?" I asked Reep.

He answered with disdain. "I caught him trying to steal an orange from the galley!"

"That's a lie! The little monster was spying!" Eustace cried, red-faced from where he was getting to his feet.

I strode over and grabbed his arm roughly. "Stealing's a serious offense on a boat," I snarled at him.

I was distracted by Caspian striding down from the upper deck. "What is all of this commotion about?" he asked, frowning at us.

"Reepicheep caught Eustace stealing food," I answered with a scowl.

"Is that right?" he growled at Eustace. Edmund arrived behind him, his face questioning.

Eustace didn't answer, only mumbling to himself and the planks of the deck.

Caspian turned to Drinian. "Did you see this happen, sir?" he asked the captain.

Drinian looked from me to Reepicheep to Eustace. "Yes, sir," he answered with a nod of his bald head.

"He deserves at least a dozen!" I exclaimed in fury to Caspian.

His tanned face was stony. He turned and addressed the entire crew. "From now on, anyone who is caught stealing _anything_ will be given two dozen lashes. This will be the only warning you get."

Then he turned to Eustace and lectured him, and told him how his selfishness could be a serious problem in our current conditions, and how we all wanted more water and food, but we had to make our provisions last. Eustace didn't say anything, and then ran down below after Caspian was done.

"The little brat!" Caspian moaned, closing his eyes wearily.

We managed to tie part of the sail to the bowsprit, and that got us a little ways the next day. The wind wasn't much more than a gentle breeze, but it was still better than nothing at all.

After three more days of inching farther east, I was up in the rigging again in my favorite spot, my spyglass held to my eye, when I heard an ear-grating screech. I looked up, spotting a lone white gull flying overhead. My heart leaped, and I eagerly trained my glass on the horizon. As I swiveled slowly around to the direction we were going, I spotted a tiny gray smudge on the horizon.

I waited to make sure it was really there before crying, "Land ahead!"

There was a great bustling around on the deck as the men clambered to see it.

Each day it got clearer and a little bit closer, and we could tell it was a very mountainous island, lush and green, and more and more seagulls flapped and screeched overhead.

We finally drew into the bay on September 11th and dropped anchor in the water, which was three fathoms deep. Caspian decided we should stay aboard for one more night, because it was getting dark, and we had no idea what lay in wait for us on the beach.

I barely slept at all that night, staring out of my tiny cabin window at the dark mass of the rugged island, eagerly anticipating whatever we would find the next morning.


	26. Chapter 26

**I saw the movie last night, and it was utterly AMAZING! If you haven't seen it yet, GO SEE IT. In 3D, multiple times. And tell your friends to as well. We have to get it to do well in the box office so that there will be more!**

**But anyway, I've decided to kind of mix some aspects of the movie with the book. Like this chapter. You'll see how it's different. But warning, there will be spoilers now, but nothing big.**

**I might also add that our favorite character was wonderful and gorgeous as always, and even more so. He did a spectacular job :D.**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

We went ashore the next morning in the little rowboat kept for such purposes. Everything about the island was sharp and rough. The jagged cliffs and mountains, the weathered and twisted trees, the dark green grass on the slopes. There were numerous waterfalls pouring down from the cliffsides, and a whitewater stream jetted out into the bay, which was as smooth as glass.

On shore, we set about the work that was to be done. Caspian sent me and two other men to go hunt for some game. I strapped my quiver of red-feathered arrows to my back and strung my longbow. I still preferred the longbow, even though the Telmarine men with me both carried crossbows.

We spent most of the day trekking over the unfamiliar turf, up and down steep, shale-covered precipices. Finally we came to a small flattened area of the hills that was so high up there were only a few twisted pines and that tough, dark green grass of the mountains. Here, a small herd of wild goats were grazing. They were brown, gray, or black, with long horns that curved outwards. I held my finger to my lips and then crept forward.

There were about sixteen, mostly female, with a few kids. The males stayed off to the side of the herd, and that's where I aimed my arrow. I held out my bow, slowly pulling back the string until my fingertips brushed the right corner of my mouth. I closed one eye, aimed for the biggest male, and released. With a twang, the arrow flew away from me, quickly finding its target. The goat fell with one pitiful bleat as the others started trotting away. My companions quickly took aim and managed to kill another before the herd disappeared into the mountainside again.

We collected our kills, and I swung my goat up over my shoulders. I couldn't help but feel smug that I had gotten the biggest one, and despite the protests of my companions, I insisted on carrying the heavy animal myself.

We made our way back to the camp on the beach, taking a bit longer since a heavy, cold fog rolled in, muffling all sounds and making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. But soon we broke out of the cedar forest onto the rocky soil of the beach, where the others had felled a pine tree and built a bonfire.

We roasted the goats and drank the strong Archenlandian wine from aboard the _Dawn Treader, _who was sitting very pitiful and ragged in the bay. We had a hot, filling dinner for the first time in weeks.

It was only after we had finished that Edmund looked around with a puzzled look on his face and said, "Where's Eustace got off to?" We all looked around, but he wasn't anywhere to be found.

We started searching the woods nearby, sounding Caspian's horn and calling his name.

Lucy was pale and fretted. "Oh, he's nowhere near or else he'd have heard that!" she said, pulling on one of her braids.

Edmund was storming around in anger, although I could tell he was worried as well. "Damn him! What on earth did he want to slink away like this for?"

He continued to pace as I tried to calm him down, but the truth was that I was worried too. As much as I hated the little son of a bitch, I didn't want him to get hurt.

"But we must do something!" Lucy cried. "He may have got lost, or fallen into a hole, or been captured by savages."

"Or killed by wild beasts," Drinian interjected helpfully.

Rhince muttered under his breath, "Good riddance if he has, I say."

Reep, always noble, spoke up against him. "Master Rhince, you have never spoken a word that becomes you less. The boy was no friend of mine, but he was of the Queen's blood, and while he is of fellowship it concerns our honor to find him and to avenge him if he is dead."

We all sighed in hopelessness.

Then Caspian said wearily, "Of course we have got to find him, if we can, and that is the trouble." Then he turned and stalked off into the darkness, back towards the beach to assemble a search party to go deeper into the wilds of the island.

We sent off a party to look on the eastern side of the island, while Edmund, Caspian, and I went west. We searched through the thick woods of the mountainous country, finally coming down into a sort of rocky valley with many steep walls.

As I was walking, something glinted off to my right in the moonlight, catching my eye. I turned, narrowing my eyes, only to widen them when I saw what the shine was from.

"Edmund! Caspian, look!" I pointed down into a gulch wedged between two walls of the labyrinth-like valley. Between them was filled with gold items of all kinds.

We hopped down the steep rock walls to the dusty floor and looked around us. There were golden everythings; pots, goblets, talismans, scepters, jewelry, cuffs, chains, bowls, etc. I felt my heart quicken and couldn't help but long for the treasure, but knew that if I took anything, it could be dangerous.

"There's only a few reasons all of this would be here," I said quietly, surveying the treasure. "My best bet is dragons."

Caspian and Edmund nodded silently, walking among the piles, nudging a few things with the toes of their boots.

I walked with them doing the same when I smelled something burned. I looked around another pile of gold and saw, to my dismay, a heap of scorched clothing.

At the same moment I was about to call out to the boys, they called out to me.

"Rose! It's the Lord Octesian!" I looked back around the piles to see them standing next to a skeleton, his slightly rusted shield laying a few feet away, his crest upon it.

I swallowed, looking back at the pile of clothes and called them over.

When Edmund saw them, he sank to his knees. "He was just a boy. He was my cousin; I should have protected him. It was my job." He picked up one of the scraps of cloth left, the fabric still smoldering slightly.

I felt slightly sickened that Eustace should've had to have faced such a horrific death. Even if he was insufferable and rude, I never wished that fate for him.

Our journey back was silent and gloomy. Both Caspian and I tried to console Edmund, but he remained stony and silent, refusing to listen or respond. His gaze remained firmly ahead.

We reached the pebbly beach again, and I took note that the sun was now a good bit above the horizon. I suddenly felt quite exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up in my bed.

The other half of the search party had arrived back sometime in the night and were back onboard the ship already. We were preparing to set off in the rowboat they had left us when suddenly we heard shouts on board and a rhythmic beating sound in the air.

I looked up at the boat to see a great winged reptile soaring down upon it, landing heavily on the new mast. The ship listed heavily to the side the beast was clinging onto, and I heard the shouted of Tavros the Minotaur repeating Drinian's orders.

The men fired their cross bows at it and then after a short bit of scrambling, it alighted again and came soaring towards us on the beach.

"Edmund! Caspian! Run!" I screamed, turning to flee back towards the woods where I would have the shelter of the trees.

But the beast soared right over me, reaching one of its taloned hands down to snatch Edmund up off the ground.

"No!" I screamed, trying to hack at it as carried him away.

The dragon soared back over the _Dawn Treader_ once before wheeling in midair and flying back over the island the way we had just come.

I ran to Caspian, in hysterics. "Caspian, we've got to do something, we've got to go get him back! Before it kills him, it'll be too late…!" I continued to sob. My king merely stared off into the sky as I clutched his strong arm and cried into his shoulder.

And then I heard the beating sound again, the sound of giant wings pummeling the air. I paused in my sobs for a moment, staring into the sky as the dragon came back into sight, still clutching Edmund. It landed on the beach not far from where we stood, letting Edmund go.

He had a stunned look on his face as he looked into the dragon's strangely human eyes.

"Edmund, what is it?" Caspian asked.

In a shocked voice, Edmund simply said, "It's Eustace."

When the others had come back ashore in the rowboats, Edmund explained that the dragon, who was apparently is cousin, had carried him over the island, showing him the words, burned into the terrain, "I AM EUSTACE."

Eustace the dragon was favoring his right front leg, and Lucy went closer to inspect why.

"Well no wonder, he's hurt, he's got this pinching him!" She cried, pointing to a golden cuff biting into his scaly flesh.

Edmund strode over and with a hard yank, jerked it off. Eustace roared with pain, shaking his horned head and spitting a few flames.

"Well that would explain it then," Caspian said. "Everyone knows a dragon's treasure is enchanted."

Eustace glared at him, growling low in his throat.

"Well, maybe not _everyone," _I said.

Drinian stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest. "What are we to do with him?" he asked. "He certainly can't fit on the ship."

Eustace looked between us and with a mournful growl, flopped his head onto the sand. A fat, steaming tear rolled down his scaly red cheek.

Caspian looked between the dragon and he captain with indecision. He sighed, weary from the excitement of the last day and a half. "We will spend one more night here, and then decide in the morning," he sighed.

"Will you come back aboard the ship, sir?" Drinian asked.

We all looked back at pitiful Eustace. "No, I will spend the night onshore. We will be fine here," Caspian decided. I nodded in agreement.

Drinian sighed, "Very well." And then he and the rest of the crew returned to the ship, leaving me, Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, and Eustace behind on the pebbly sand.

I set out my bedroll as the sun dipped low in the sky again. The air was growing cold again, and I began gathering bits of driftwood in a pile.

"How are we to light the fire?" I asked, surveying the pile. "We have no matches, of course-"

I was interrupted by a jet of flame whooshing past me to set fire to the logs. I whirled to my left, seeing Eustace looking rather pleased with himself.

"Thanks, Eustace," I said with a smile.

We readied for bed, with Eustace curled around one side of the fire and us on the other side nearest the ocean. I laid out my bedroll next to Edmund's. Caspian and Lucy were on his other side and at our feet.

As I lay wrapped in my blanket, I heard Eustace sigh and sniffle, in his dragony way. This went on for a while, and I considered getting up to talk to him, when I heard another voice.

I couldn't make out most of the words, but I could tell it was Reepicheep. He was trying to comfort Eustace, and I caught him say, "You know, extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people." He continued on, and then I heard him ask, "Shall I tell you of my adventures? Very well. Once, I met a dragon, though he was much fiercer than you…"

I smiled to myself as Reep continued with his story to distract Eustace, and finally went to sleep.

**PolarBride: That's so stupid! Why wouldn't they show Dawn Treader too? I'm sorry that you'll have to wait even longer! **

**Fallen-Broken-Winged-Angel: Haha, yeah, when I was editing I figured I should probably specify what 'a dozen' are in case someone didn't know **

**Reviews!**


	27. Chapter 27

**School was canceled today because of some rain, so I had time for a new update! We Southerners are wimps when it comes to the weather. :D**

**IF you haven't seen the movie yet, I COMMAND YOU TO DO SO. Apparently, it's not doing that well in the box office right now, and if you want another movie, like the Silver Chair or the Last Battle, then this one HAS TO MAKE MONEY. Not to mention that it's fantastic too, and well worth the price!**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

I hated to admit it, but I actually liked Eustace as a dragon. He couldn't whine and complain and he was much more useful. He brought us wild goats and swine to eat and store for when we continued our journey. He uprooted a pine for our new mast, and let me and the others ride upon his hot back over the islands.

It wasn't like anything I had ever done before, flying. I felt free and powerful, on top of the world, up in the clouds. This was the territory where none had gone before, unexplored, and probably never would go again.

And then, when the air got too thin and cold, Eustace would fold his leathery wings and plummet back towards the island, me clinging to his scales as my stomach came up my throat. For a moment I thought we would hit the ground, immediately crushed by the impact. But at the last moment, he would open his wings again, catching himself on the warm up-currents as we barely brushed the treetops before lighting on the beach again.

While he was useful, we were unsure of what to do when we sailed again. We couldn't stay here on this lonely island forever, but the enchantment hadn't worn off, or even shown signs of beginning to. Sometimes at night, when he was off curled up by himself, I would sit with Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Drinian to discuss it.

"Do you think he could keep up by flying with us?" I asked.

Caspian answered a few moments later. "Maybe for a little while, but he would need to land to eat, drink, and rest. And we don't know what lies beyond."

More silent thinking.

"What if we put him along one side of the deck? Would he fit?" Edmund asked.

"We'd have to move all our supplies to one side of the ship to balance it, and even then it would be difficult," Drinian answered.

"What if we could tow him?" Lucy suggested half-heartedly.

But there was still the matter of feeding him. He liked his food raw, and I had seen him slink off into the woods by himself to tear at the carcass of a goat he had killed. He was ashamed of it, and it seemed like I was one of the only ones who could stomach the sight of it. The others were greatly disturbed, but it made sense to me. It was natural for a dragon to like his meat raw, and the carnage didn't sicken me or disgust me like it did the others.

About a week passed. But one morning, I felt Edmund stir beside me. He unwrapped his arms from around me (we were in separate bedrolls, mind you) and quietly drew his sword.

I woke completely, sitting up to see what was wrong. He put his finger to his lips and nodded towards the woods. I heard the snapping of twigs and saw what looked like a person through the dusky light between the trees.

I also drew my sword, following Edmund to the edge of the woods. I stood, my back against the tree trunks, waiting for the person to draw closer. Edmund slowly inched closer before stepping into the path of the stranger and opening his mouth to challenge them, his sword raised.

But then a familiar voice said hoarsely, "Edmund? Is that you?"

I knitted my eyebrows together and stepped out from behind the tree.

There was Eustace, standing in his human form in front of us, in new clothes, very plain and simple. But he looked older somehow.

"Eustace? Is it you?" Edmund asked, lowering his sword.

The boy nodded, swallowing hard. Then he kind of lurched forward, nearly falling before I caught him.

He was quiet for a moment and then he spoke again, still hoarsely, "Can we go and talk somewhere?" Edmund nodded and we helped him over to the big rocks on the edge of the bay.

As the sky grew pinker in the east, and the stars winked out one by one, Eustace told us about his night, and his transformation. A lion had come for him, leading him to a well in a garden on top of a strange mountain. Then with a great roar, Eustace's dragon form dissolving away, and there was Eustace again.

After finishing his story, Eustace sat quietly, watching the sun peek up over the ocean.

"Do you think it was all a dream?" he asked softly.

"No, it wasn't a dream at all," I answered.

He looked at me. "How do you know?"

"Well, there's the clothes for one thing," Edmund said. "And you aren't a dragon anymore."

I nodded in agreement, noting that gone were the stiff, proper English clothes that he had worn before, replaced by comfortable Narnian ones.

"Well, what do you think happened then?" he asked, still unsure.

"I think you've seen Aslan," I said with a smile.

"Aslan," he repeated, eyes still on the horizon. "I've heard that name on the ship. I always hated it. But then, I hated everything then. I'm sorry for being such an ass." He sighed, kicking at the pebbly shore.

Edmund rested his hand lightly n his cousin's shoulder and said quietly, "That's all right. Between the two of us, you haven't been as bad as I was when I first came to Narnia. You were only an ass, but I betrayed everyone."

I leaned into him, letting him know it was all right. "That was 1300 years ago Edmund," I said softly.

Eustace looked at us in confusion but then shook his head. "Well don't tell me about it then. But who is Aslan? Do you know him?"

Edmund hesitated. "Well, he knows us. He is the Great Lion, the son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, and who saved Narnia and saved me. All of us have seen him, but Lucy sees him the most."

I nodded and added, "It may be Aslan's country we're sailing to."

We were all quiet for awhile as the sun rose above the water, washing everything in a golden-pink light.

When we heard Caspian's horn, I stood, brushing myself off and said, "Well, we'd better head back, so Eustace can tell us all how he became a dragon."

Everyone was joyous at Eustace's transformation, and he told us of how he had gotten lost, seen the treasure in the gulch, and been overcome with the desire to have it. He filled his pockets, trying to gather as much as he could carry, sliding the cuff onto his arm. And then the enchantment on the treasure turned him into a dragon.

We all decided that the Lord Octesian, whose crest had been on the cuff, had mostly likely been killed by another dragon, seeing as we had found his shield, skeleton, and sword.

A few days later, we were ready to sail. The _Dawn Treader _had a new mast and new rail, and had been restored to her former glory. Right before we set off, Caspian had a man carve words into a cliff that faced the bay. It said:

DRAGON ISLAND

DISCOVERED BY CASPIAN X, KING OF NARNIA, ETC.

IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF HIS REIGN.

HERE, AS WE SUPPOSE, THE LORD OCTESIAN HAD HIS DEATH.

Eustace gave Edmund the arm ring, but Edmund didn't want it, so he offered it to Caspian, who offered it to Lucy, who offered it to me. But I didn't want the thing, so I tossed it into the air for anyone to catch. But it caught on a branch, right beside the words etched into the rock, and there it stayed. I liked it there much better anyway.

After becoming a boy again, Eustace's behavior was much improved. He was more willing to work and to help, and he didn't whine and complain as much. However, there were some days when he went back to moaning and being so horrible that I felt like tossing him overboard again, but these days were much fewer and farther apart.


	28. Chapter 28

**I just thought I'd say again that I may change how things are done if I liked them better in the movie, so… haha just to let you know. Hope everyone's having a good break!**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

We had good winds as soon as we sailed from Dragon Island, and came upon another small island not far from it. There wasn't anything there except rabbits and small brown birds and a few goats, and it was all shrubby and rocky. There were huge, ugly scorches that blackened some places, and ruins of several stone huts.

"It looks like pirates' work," Caspian said as we surveyed the little island.

"Or another dragon's," I guessed. "If it had been pirates, then surely we would have heard of lands beyond the Lone Islands."

We picked around in the rubble a bit, but found nothing interesting except a tiny little canoe, just the right size for Reepicheep. He was delighted when we suggested bringing it aboard.

"I suppose this island needs a name as well," Caspian said.

I nodded, though I didn't have any ideas myself.

Edmund sighed and decided, "Well, there's not much here except these big burnt marks, so Burnt Island ought to describe it pretty well."

I smiled to myself at Edmund's 'creativity' and it was decided. After that had been done, we cast off, and continued our voyage east.

We saw nothing on the horizon for the next several days. I grew bored and fidgety again, sighing frequently and pacing up on the deck. I climbed up and down the ropes until Edmund told me to stop, otherwise I was going to fall and break my neck.

Reep and Eustace played many games of chess, in which Eustace lost, and he began to lapse back into the irritable bloke he had been before his dragon days.

Caspian and I practiced with our swords until he beat me, and then I got mad and stormed off. Lucy was the only one that was still cheerful, especially when on Day Five it began to shower, and we all had to go below.

"Look, I believe it's finally stopping!" Lucy cried happily, pointing out the window of the room.

I peered out to survey the skies. "Yes, I think you're right Lu!" I agreed, eager to escape our stuffy cabin and be in the open air again.

I took up my post at the rail, looking down at the waves created by the _Dawn Treader_'s prow. I was growing bored when something caught my eye.

There was a girl down there, but not a human girl. She was made of water, with a fishtail, and was leaping and spinning about in the waves.

In my excitement, I jumped to my feet and called to Lucy, "Lucy, come here, come look—"

My cries of excitement were cut short by my cry of alarm as I lost my balance. A sudden gust of wind had rocked the ship just as I had jumped up to lean far over the rail, and suddenly I found myself falling.

I hit the water and my nose and eyes filled, burning as I sunk beneath the waves. I finally managed to kick to the surface, my teeth chattering. The ocean was much colder than I had expected.

I could hear the shouts of the men on deck, all of them leaning over the rails to see where I had come up. I began swimming after the ship, as quickly as I could, trying not to go back under. The big ocean swells would block my view for a few seconds, and then I would catch sight of the ship, each time a little farther off. I felt a moment of panic as I thought about Drinian's tales of sea serpents and monsters of the deep. At this moment one could be below me, swimming up, its huge mouth open, horrible rows of teeth waiting to impale me.

I looked back up to the ship when I heard some more shouts and a splash. There was a rope hanging down over the side. I treaded water, exhausted already. I felt myself slipping, my head going under water a few times. My arms and legs were so tired, the water was cold.

I shut my eyes, falling under again. I kicked up, choking a few times, but then felt the weariness set back in. _Just float, _I felt my body telling me._ Just rest a while and float._ I closed my eyes and dipped under the waves, feeling my body hang, suspended in the cold water. My lungs began aching for air, sweet air. I felt calm and lethargic, everything becoming fuzzy.

But I couldn't hold my breath forever. It hurt too much. I breathed in, filling my lungs with the burning seawater. It hurt even worse. But then it faded and black blurred around the edge of my vision and I was floating off again, back to not caring, just going with the flow.

Everything was fading black when I felt myself being dragged through the water, someone holding tight around my middle. I kicked against it. _No. No, let me go. It hurts. I was calm…_ And then suddenly I was yanked out of my underwater stupor, being lifted up, banging against something rough and slimy, something else warm and strong but also wet holding me.

And then I was dropped onto a hard, flat surface. Something, no, someone, pumping on my chest, leaning against it, listening. Coughing, choking. Rolling onto my stomach to vomit. Seawater. More coughing. Faces staring down at me, worried.

Far off voices called, "Rose? Rose? Talk to me. Are you ok? Can you breathe?" I coughed some more, violently. But finally it felt as if my lungs were clear. I sucked in deep breaths of air, my head clearing. Everything got louder and brighter.

Edmund was kneeling in front of me, his chocolate brown eyes worried. No, more than worried. Frantic.

"Rose, can you talk? Are you all right?" I shook my head, my throat raw and burning.

I curled up into a ball, shivering uncontrollably.

"Get her a blanket!" Caspian yelled.

I felt a wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders and I gripped it tightly.

Edmund said, "All right, I'm going to take her down to her cabin."

He lifted me up, carrying me like a child. I noticed for the first time that he was as wet and cold as I was. He went below and placed me gently on my bed and then went to my dresser, rifling through until he found my nightgown.

"Put this on," he told me.

I took the garment, trying to get my wet things off. Edmund saw my struggle and reached out to help me pull off my shirt. He realized what he was doing and turned red, turning around. I pulled the dry nightgown over my tangled wet hair and then removed my leggings. Finally, I dropped back onto my bed, and Edmund pulled the covers up over me.

"You'll be all right, Rosie," he whispered, kissing me on my forehead. But by then, I was already asleep.

**Ugh, sorry about this chapter. It's pretty pointless and just a bunch of fluff basically, and I apologize. I have no muse today :P. But I still would like reviews, and hopefully the next one will be better! **

**(NOTE: I know, for those of you who have read the book, that the sea serpent comes soon in this part. However, I kind of liked the way the movie did it… Haha)**


	29. Chapter 29

**So this chapter actually has some plot in it, haha, maybe to make up for the last one. This is more like how it happened in the movie.**

**Read, REVIEW, and enjoy!**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

I came down with a fever, not surprisingly. For the next three days, I stayed below, my temperature high. I had vivid nightmares of wolves hunting me down, snarling and tearing at me, howling with hunger, their yellow eyes glowing and white fangs bloody. Even though it had been centuries ago in Narnian time, I still had nightmares about the Secret Police coming for me, in that cold, frozen landscape, like they had for my faun friend. I woke thrashing about in my sleep, only to wake up in a cold sweat to Edmund's worried eyes.

But finally, the afternoon of the third day of my illness, my fever broke. I was suddenly soaked with sweat as my body tried to bring my temperature back down to normal after fighting the infection. I was ravenously hungry and ate quite a lot to catch up on what I'd lost. I immediately wanted to get up, but Caspian and Lucy and Edmund all said it would be best for me to spend one more day in my cabin, getting my strength back. I grudgingly obliged, knowing they were right.

But the next day, nothing they could do could stop me from escaping my cramped, stuffy cabin. I quickly bathed and dressed in a loose cotton shirt and my breeches, rolling them up to below my knees and going barefoot. I put my hair in its usual braids and went up to the deck.

I immediately noticed that the wind had changed and was now blowing from the north instead of the western wind we'd had. The air was noticeably cooler, almost chilly, and the water was gray and choppy. The clouds were low and dark, heavy with rain, but not storm clouds, I was glad to note. But almost immediately, fat raindrops began to plop onto the deck.

I muttered under my breath and then went and found Caspian, standing up on the highest deck of the boat, where Drinian steered the ship at the ornate wheel, the spokes twisted branches and Aslan's face carved in gold in its center. They were passing a looking glass back and forth.

"What're you looking at?" I asked, curious and not wanting to be left out. I hated not knowing what was going on.

Caspian lowered the glass and addressed me. "Well, it is hard to tell because of the damn rain, but we think we've spotted land off the port bow."

He handed me the glass and I lifted it to my eye, leaning over the right rail. Yes, it did seem there was a shadow through the mist of the now heavy rainfall. I expressed my thoughts, and they agreed.

"Yes, I suppose we will sail in that direction then. Give the orders," Caspian said, climbing back down the ladder to the main deck.

Drinian called down to him, "By your leave, Sire, we will try to get under the lee of that country by rowing and lie in harbor, maybe till this is over."

Caspian thought for a moment, and then nodded. "All right then."

I went below to help with the rowing, but Edmund pushed me back out. "Not with you so soon over an illness. We'll manage fine without you."

I scowled at him, but he ignored it. It took all of that day and into the evening before we managed to get the _Dawn Treader _into the natural harbor that was formed by the island. We anchored for the night, with orders that no one was to go ashore that evening.

I was up early the next morning, eager at what new wonders this foreign land might hold. I dressed about the same as the day before, but adding my boots and dagger, my sword and scabbard, and my quiver and bow across my back.

We lowered the rowboat and several empty water barrels and began rowing ashore. I studied the land through watchful eyes as we rowed toward a stream on the starboard side, noting that it was mostly covered in scruffy evergreen trees. It was also mountainous like Dragon Island, though prettier, in a melancholy way.

I hopped out and helped drag the boat up onto the beach, my feet slipping as I tried to maintain my stance on all of the smooth round pebbles that covered the beach. Then each of us hoisted a water barrel up onto our shoulders and set off up to a good spot to drink and fill them.

When we were finished and the rain had stopped, Lucy said, "Let's explore the island, shall we? Just hike up that hill over there and see what can be seen."

Caspian agreed, and so we sent the sailors back with the water and started off through the trees.

It was a rather strenuous hike, even for me, because it was so steep and slippery. But finally we reached the top and looked around.

The island was small and without game, mostly heather and trees and rocks. After we had finished gazing off at the eastern horizon, we started back down, this time looping down to the other stream, the eastern one.

This was a much prettier place than I had expected. There was a small mountain lake, the kind that are extremely deep and clear, surrounded by steep banks of exposed rock, except for where the mouth of the stream was.

Just then the heavy gray clouds burst, and the rain began coming down in sheets.

"Damn, I should have thought to bring my cloak," I said as my hair was plastered to my skull.

Immediately, two oilskin cloaks were thrust at me, one from Caspian, the other from Edmund.

As I didn't want to insult either one or take either's, I said, "Oh, it's all right. I'll be fine."

We looked around for some kind of cover, and finally I found a small cave. Edmund shone his flashlight into it, and then we ventured inside.

I went first, eager to get out of the cold rain quickly. "Ah, that's better! I rather hate being we—" I cut myself off with a scream as I suddenly dropped down through a tunnel. I landed on a hard-packed dirt floor and fell back onto my bottom.

"Rose! Rosie! Are you all right?" Caspian and Edmund called down from the cave above.

One at a time, they dropped down too, after securing a rope to get back out again and helping Lucy down. I quickly scrambled to my feet, brushing the dirt off my pants.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I said quickly, my face red with embarrassment.

We looked around at the cavern we were in. There were several other holes and cave like entrances around the room, and rock columns held up the ceiling. Roots reached down from the outside, and the walls were made up of swirled reddish rock. A crystal clear pool of water made up one half of the room.

The storm must have passes quickly, like many thunderstorms do, because suddenly the cavern was filled with a warm golden light. It filtered down through the holes around above us, and glinted off of something in the water.

Eustace had just knelt down to drink when I cried, "Look!" and pointed down into the deep pool.

At the bottom of the pool lay a life-size golden statue of a man, his arms stretched out over his head. The clouds parted as we looked down into the pool and the statue glittered brightly.

"Well! I wonder what that's doing there! I wonder if we can get it out?"

"We could dive for it, sir," Reepicheep suggested.

I shook my head. "Not if that's solid gold, it'd be much too heavy."

Edmund agreed. "And that pool's much too deep, it's ten or twelve feet at least. Hold on though, I've got my hunting spear. Let's see how deep it is."

Caspian held onto his hand as he leaned out over the water to lower it into the pool.

"I don't think the statue's gold at all, it's just the light. See? Your spear is the same way." I furrowed my brow just as Edmund dropped it into the water with a grunt.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I couldn't hold it! It seemed so heavy," he gasped.

We leaned over, kneeling at the edge.

"There it is at the bottom," Caspian said, "And Rose is right. It looks the same color as the statue."

We were puzzling over this when Edmund suddenly jumped back and shouted in the voice he used to command armies with, "Get back! All of you! At once!"

We immediately did and stared at him, wide eyed. "What's wrong, Edmund?" I asked.

"Look at the toes of my boots," he said, holding one foot out for us to see. The tip of it was yellow and shiny.

"They look a bit yellow," observed Eustace.

"They're gold, solid gold. Look at them. Feel them. The leather's pulled away already. And they're as heavy as lead!"

I looked up at him in shock. "By the Lion's Mane! You don't mean to say-"

He nodded. "Yes I do. The water turns things to gold. It turned the spear to gold, which was why it was so heavy. And it was lapping against my feet, and turned the toes to gold. And him at the bottom…well, you see."

"So he isn't a statue at all…" Lucy said quietly, horrified.

Caspian shook his head. "No, the whole thing is plain now. He must've seen the treasure at the bottom. Then he dived in and-"

Lucy threw up her hands, shaking her head. "Don't! What a horrible thing."

I nodded, the reality just sinking in. If Edmund had slipped just then, if the spear had pulled him in…I closed my eyes, sending up a prayer of thanks to Aslan.

"And what a close call we've had," Eustace said in answer.

"Close indeed," Reep said. "Anyone's finger, anyone's foot, anyone's whisker, or anyone's tail might have slipped in at any moment!"

Caspian was lost in thought, staring at the form lying on the bottom. "All the same," he said, "we may as well test it."

Edmund nodded and crouched down at the edge, picking up a curled seashell. He very cautiously dipped it into the water for a moment, then quickly pulled it back out and dropped it onto the bank. Before our eyes, it transformed to solid gold.

Edmund stared at it in wonder. He turned to me and Lucy. "Whoever has access to this pool," he breathed, "could be the most powerful person in the world."

I felt myself frown slightly, noticing a strange look in his eyes, something that hadn't been there before. Caspian glanced at me and Lucy, and we gave him the same look back.

Edmund turned specifically to his sister. "Lucy, we'd be _so rich. _No one could tell us what to do, or who to stay with."

I noticed Caspian staring at him, and then he said, "You can't take anything out of Narnia, Edmund."

Without looking up from the shell in his hand, Edmund asked, "Says who?"

"I do," Caspian said.

Edmund turned to him, his eyes almost black. I suddenly felt very nervous, seeing the way he and Caspian were looking at each other.

Edmund suddenly stood up and strode over to Caspian, tucking the shell into his pocket. "And what if I do?"

Caspian glared at him, holding his dark gaze with his own. "I am king," he said ominously.

A muscle in Edmund's jaw twitched. "I am not one of your subjects, and you can't order me around! I have always been second place! First to Peter, who was the _High _King, and now _you!_" he snarled at Caspian. His hand was clenched around the jeweled hilt of his sword.

"So it's come to that, King Edmund, has it?" Caspian shouted back, drawing his own sword.

They clashed, swords flashing in the golden light of the cavern, the metallic sound ringing around the walls of the room. Eustace cowered back away from them, and Lucy cried out, "Stop!"

I whipped my sword out of its scabbard and ran forward, trying to get between the two of them. When their blades parted, I thrust mine between them and followed with my body.

"Stop it! Stop it both of you! Don't be so stupid!" I shouted at them, nearly in tears. "Don't you see what it's doing to you? You're both going to end up the same as Eustace did, because of your greed! It's the damned gold that's making you act like fools!"

They looked past me at each other through narrow eyes, panting slightly. Edmund was the first to break eye contact, jabbing his sword back into its sheath. "Fine. Let's get out of here," he said icily, striding back to the rope and quickly climbing back up into the cave entrance, leaving Caspian to glare after him.

I followed soon after, still shaken about what had happened in the cavern and worried about what might've happened.


	30. Chapter 30

**I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! I, for one, had a white Christmas, which was the first one my city had had since 1963, so that was pretty cool. :D **

**I'm sorry it's taken so long for this next chapter, I guess I've just been lazy over the holidays, haha.**

**And just to remind you: GO SEE "THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER" NOW! It's so good, and a great holiday movie!**

**Now on with the story **

**Chapter Thirty**

After the events in the cavern, there was a lot of tension between Edmund and Caspian. I could tell that they both felt guilty about the things they had said to each other, but both of them were too proud to admit it and apologize.

We ended up calling the island Deathwater, and though the crew was curious about why, they didn't ask. We set sail the day after.

We had a strong wind blowing us east, and we sailed for days and days and days with no sight of anything but water. Our stores began to get low again, and the men began to get anxious that perhaps we had come to a sea that had no end. The sun seemed to be bigger than it was in Narnia, but I told myself that that wasn't possible, the sun orbited around the world.

The tension between Caspian and Edmund also didn't lessen, and one day I couldn't take it anymore. I was tired of the way they wouldn't look each other in the eye, were very stiff and formal, and went out of their way to avoid each other as much as possible.

I marched over to where Caspian stood behind Drinian at the helm, took hold of his arm, and dragged him down to a private spot between several barrels, coils of thick rope, and crates on the deck.

"Stay here and don't move," I ordered him, even though he was the king and I had no right to do so. I knew he would listen.

Then I went and did the same to Edmund, taking him by the wrist and forcefully leading him to where Caspian stood looking confused. But when he saw Edmund, his face darkened and grew impassive. Edmund's did the same.

They stood across from each other, arms crossed, as I talked to them.

"All right you two; I am sick of you acting like children! You're twenty years old, Caspian, and Edmund, you're thirty-two!" I looked between the two of them, my hands on my hips. "So both of you, apologize, work out your issues, and be friends again! We're on a boat, so it's best to get along with everyone."

I turned to walk away but stopped to add, "And you can't leave that spot until you do! And I'll be watching."

Thankfully, my plan worked, and they did talk it out and become friends again. And I was glad, because it was hard for me when my two favorite men weren't getting along.

On the last day that we could possibly keep going east, we spotted land lying low on the horizon. We were all greatly relieved and I was very curious (and somewhat wary) about the land. We made harbor in late evening, and went ashore in the rowboat. I was dressed in my knee-high boots, my breeches, and one of Edmund's shirts, as all of my own were dirty and needed washing. My hair was loose for once, as I had grown tired of always having it up on the ship.

We drug the boat up onto the beach, which was smooth and soft sand, rather than the rough pebbles and rocks of all of the other islands. And this island was completely flat. The grass was smooth and short looked freshly mown, and there were many strange, twisted trees that looked like well-kept topiaries. They were all evenly spaced and there were no dead limbs or leaves underneath them. The whole place reminded me of great houses in England, and for the first time in four years, I was a little homesick for it. But I remembered what I was there, and the feeling passed.

We decided the place looked harmless and made camp for the night. I rolled out my bedroll in my usual place between Caspian and Edmund, and Eustace and Lucy were on the other side of Edmund. The night was comfortable and peaceful, and we all quickly fell into a deep sleep, deep enough to not notice the heavy thumps that came long past midnight.

We didn't wake until early morning when a low, gray mist still hovered above the ground and then sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. I stretched and sat up, looking around me as I did. And then I noticed Lucy missing from her bedroll.

"Where's Lucy?" I asked Eustace.

He sat up and looked to his left. "I-I don't know," he said, looking at me with wide eyes.

By now, the others were becoming aware that she was missing too. I went over and felt her blankets; they were cold and had a fine coat of dew on them.

"She's been gone for a while," I said, looking up at them, my heart pounding with sudden fear.

We immediately began to search among the many twisted, curling trees, and calling out Lucy's name. I mentally chided myself, telling myself how stupid we'd been to spend the night onshore without enough time to properly make sure the island was really safe.

We made our way up a wide, sanded path that had a row of tall trees on either side. I could picture a horse drawn carriage or perhaps a new automobile driving up it. It made me miss my own mount, Anduril. I wonder if he missed me too. He was probably perfectly content, getting fat and sleek on the lush Narnian grass.

At the far end of the path, past a tall, neat hedge, we stopped at the sound of heavy thumping and a gruff voice saying, "Stop right there!"

I whirled around to face the voice, my sword drawn with the others. But all we saw was a pike hovering about seven feet above the ground. Around us were other various floating weapons at the same altitude.

"Who are you?" I demanded, looking between them.

I heard a sudden cry from Edmund behind me, and whipped around to see him attempting to fight the invisible enemy, swinging his sword around at the floating spear. He must've been missing, because suddenly he was knocked to his knees and his blade taken.

An unexpected blow to my back knocked me down too, but I turned and tried to fight back by hacking at the air. However, the same as the others, something hit my arm and caused me to drop my sword, my arm going temporarily numb.

"Now don't you try to fight back, you hear? Or we'll do worse to you," the gruff voice said.

"That we will, Chief, couldn't have said better ourselves," a chorus of other voices said from all sides.

"Where have you taken my sister?" Edmund demanded to know.

"Oh, your sister shan't come to any harm, as long as she gets the job done that we've given her. She should be back any time now," the Chief Voice answered cheerfully.

"What are you?" Caspian asked angrily. "Why do you not show yourselves?"

"We are terrible, invisible monsters!" said the Chief Voice, and the others around us fervently agreed.

"Oh yes? And what do you look like?" I asked him.

He hesitated, and then said, "Like tigers, great big tigers, with great sharp teeth and claws!"

And then I began to notice something strange happening. The air in some places where the weapons were floating began to shimmer and then scenery seemed to shift in those spots. And then our invisible enemies suddenly began to appear, though not at all tiger-ish in appearance of demeanor.

"I see," I said, trying not to laugh.

All around us were strange little men that looked a lot like dwarfs, only they had one large foot each. Individually they were about three feet tall, but they were standing on each other's shoulders to be taller.

Caspian, Edmund, and I all went and jerked our weapons out of their rough little hands, their towers toppling over as we did so.

"Now where's our friend Lucy?" we demanded again.

The Chief, a little man with a very bushy beard and eyebrows sighed and pointed behind us. "In the mansion," he said dejectedly.

"What mans-" I cut myself off as the air began to shimmer and then a great stone building appeared. It was a beautiful structure, made of a soft gray stone and covered in ivy. It had white trim on the window panes and looked about three stories high.

We went through the twisted, wrought iron gates and into a gravel-paved courtyard. Just as we were about to go inside, Lucy came bursting out of the front door.


	31. Chapter 31

**Sorry this is such a short chapter. But I do spoil ya'll with very frequent updates, so you shouldn't complain. **** (Not that you have)**

**I have made a website about my stories, so go check it out! The url is: **. **and tell me whatcha think!**

**REMINDER: GO SEE THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER. Nope, don't give me any excuses. GO SEE IT!**

**And now the story **

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"Lucy!" we cried in relief at seeing her unharmed.

She had a wide grin on her face, and said, "Oh, you _must _come inside and meet Coriakin! He's the Magician who lives in the house!"

She then noticed all of the strange one-footed men hopping about and gave them a weird look. "So _you're _the ones who came and got me in the middle of the night! You're very rude, you know."

We followed her into the mansion where a man, who must be Coriakin, was waiting. He greeted us warmly, and we followed him up the stairs and into a vast library.

"So, you are the new king of Narnia?" he asked Caspian.

"Yes, sir, Caspian the Tenth," Caspian answered. "We are…we are seeking seven lords that were good friends of my father's, before Miraz killed him and banished them. We have found three of them already, but still seek to find the other four."

Coriakin nodded. "I remember them coming by here. They didn't stay long, just long enough to repair their ship after a bad storm and to get some supplies."

I asked him, "Sir, would perhaps know what lies beyond this island?"

He smiled. "Ah yes, I can show you that."

He conjured a large scroll out of the air, and with a toss, it rolled itself out and hovered above the floor before laying itself flat. It was a map of the sea, but no ordinary map. The candles and lamps in the library dimmed, and light seemed to come from the map itself.

Tiny, wispy clouds floated above the map, which had all of the islands that we had been too, and others, on it. They were perfect miniatures, and the waves in the sea actually moved, rising and falling.

Coriakin pointed to a roiling, dark mass on the map, and it closed in on it. The mass looked like heavy, black smoke, and emitted an eerie, sickly green light from within.

"This is what lies beyond. It is an island of great evil, a place where only your very worst dreams and nightmares become reality, and no longer just figments of your consciousness. Already, its powers are growing stronger, and the effects are becoming evident around the world. You must destroy; _it _is the reason you are here."

The map zoomed out again and then in on another island, this one beautiful and tropical, with waterfalls and green trees.

"Go to the Island of the Star; it is where three of the lords await you. Once there, a guide will be sent to you."

Drinian looked up at Coriakin. "And how are we supposed to find our way there?" he asked, always practical.

Coriakin pointed into the air two feet above the floor. A small orb of blue-ish light hung there. "Follow the star, for it will lead you where you need to go."

For a while we were all silent, just staring at the map. I certainly had not expected this, and to be honest, I didn't want to face whatever was in that black, oily mass of an island. I thought about what Coriakin had said about nightmares becoming reality, and shivered.

The magician interrupted our somber thoughts with a cheerful, "Well, now, I'm sure you're all hungry, why don't you stay for the night and have dinner?"

Dinner was a strange affair, but very delicious. The platters were carried by the Dufflepuds, as Coriakin said the called themselves, and they came hopping and leaping out. When it was the soup, however, it made quite a mess, as did the wine.

I heard Eustace whisper to Edmund next to me, "I don't think those things make the best of waiters, do you?"

Edmund chuckled as he drank his goblet of wine, which, by the time it had arrived at the table, was more than half empty. "I have to say that I agree with you for once, Eustace." I laughed.

After the meal, we were shown our rooms. I was excited to see that each of us got our own room. After everyone was in theirs, I snuck out of my room and down the hall to Edmund's.

On the ship, the cabin walls were very thin and the rooms small, and the smallest sound could be heard by everyone, which made nighttime visits impossible.

I knocked on his door softly, and he came and opened it. He was wearing only his trousers, and I could see his shirt draped across a chair. It certainly wasn't the first time I had ever seen him without a shirt on, but I still my heart pound harder and my cheeks flame.

He smiled softly when he saw me, and asked, "Do you need something, Rose?"

I was busy staring at his chest, so it took me a moment to answer. "I-I, um…" I answered hoarsely.

He motioned me inside and closed the door with a soft click. He slowly bent his head down to mine and then his lips brushed my own, so softly. My eyelids fluttered closed and I leaned against the door as he put one hand around the back of my neck, tilting my head up to him and kissing me a little harder and faster, but still very sweetly. I had one hand on his shoulder and the other on his chest, feeling the muscles on his flat stomach.

We were breathing harder now, as our kissing grew deeper and more fervent. His hands were tangled in my hair; mine were roaming up his back, down to the waistband of his breeches. I tasted his tongue, felt his hand on my hip, under my shirt, on my stomach, going higher.

I broke away from his kiss, my hands back on his chest, putting an inch or two between us. His chest was rising and falling quickly, and both of us were quite breathless. I sighed, leaning my head against his shoulder, my arms wrapped around his waist. His hands, back where they should be, softly stroked my wavy copper hair. We stayed like this for several more minutes, until I realized that I was about to fall asleep standing up.

I sighed again, looking up at his chocolate eyes. "Goodnight," I said, giving him one more kiss.

He held it a little longer, and then said softly, "Goodnight Rosie. I love you."

And I slipped back down the hall to my own room and bed. It felt very empty and lonely as I lay there, and I wished I hadn't had to leave Edmund's embrace.

Sunlight streaming through the window woke me the next morning, and at first I was rather confused. This room wasn't my little cabin on the ship, and I couldn't feel any rocking underneath me. And then I remembered where I was.

I went to breakfast lighthearted. The food was good, we had eggs and sausage and toast and jam and even some orange juice. I ate until I couldn't possibly stuff anything more into my stomach, and then followed the others outside into the strange landscape of swirly grass and twisty trees.

We went back down to the beach and sent word to Rhince and the others aboard the _Dawn Treader _so that they didn't have to worry anymore. We packed our things again, said goodbye to the Dufflepuds as they all chorused their own repetitive goodbyes, and thanked Coriakin. He wished us luck with our journey, and goodbye.

That morning, we cast off again from the harbor, with the ship newly mended by Coriakin's magic. We stood on the deck, waving goodbye as the Dufflepuds paddled all around us until we sailed out of the harbor. And then once again we sailed off into the east.


	32. Chapter 32

**Here's a nice long chapter for you all to ring in the new year! The first chapter of 2011 ****. I hope everyone spent it having a good time, and, if you're old enough, not drinking and driving!**

**Here's a reminder to check out my fanfic website, .! Also, I haven't gotten many reviews in a while, so I want you all to add that to your list of resolutions! Review more often! :D **

**Also, the movie's still in theaters, so GO SEE IT. **

**And enjoy this nice long chapter **

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

We sailed for several more days with a light, warm breeze behind us, filling the violet sail and making the golden lion of the Narnian crest shimmer. We caught sight of the blue star the first night after we had left Coriakin's island, and set our course for it and the darkness that lay ahead.

But despite the pleasant weather, we quickly grew bored again. I played lots of chess with Reepicheep and Eustace and Lucy, and sat up on the fighting top with Edmund, or practiced my swordsmanship with him and Caspian.

But finally, after thirteen days with nothing on the horizon, Edmund called down from the fighting top, "Land on the port bow!"

I rushed to find my eyeglass and scrambled up the ropes to where he was sitting. Sure enough, off to our left, there appeared to be a dark mass that looked like a mountainous land. We set our course for it, but had to row because of the wind. It took us all that day and night, and then the next morning. And yet it was still not clear enough to see very well. It was much larger, but didn't look very much like land.

"I wonder if we're coming into a mist?" I remarked to Caspian and Drinian and the others, who were all up near the wheel.

But then all of the sudden, at about nine in the morning, we came so suddenly upon it that it became clear that this was neither land, nor mist in the sense that you would think. It was just a mass of darkness with an eerie green light glowing softly from within, billowing slowly about like smoke, but far darker and more sinister. The Dark Island.

"Keep her back!" called Caspian to the boatswain, and we came to rest in the flat water.

For a long while we just sat and stared at it, as if hoping it would disappear without us having to go into it. But obviously it wasn't going to, and so Caspian called for the men to prepare as if for a battle and assemble on deck.

Once we were all standing on the main deck around the mast, he climbed up and stood on the raised forecastle deck at the front of the ship.

"I want to say a few words before we go into this…place." He looked over all of us, standing silently. "I want you to know that you are the very best crew that anyone could ask for, and that we _can _do this. Despite what may lay ahead, I ask you to remember that, and to be brave, like the Narnians I know that you are."

Caspian ended his speech and was about to climb down again, when I yelled at the very top of my lungs, "For Narnia! And for Aslan!"

Then the ship erupted into cheers and echoing cries. Caspian looked up again, and a wide smile spread across his features.

Caspian, Edmund, me, and Eustace went below deck with some of the other men, and dressed for battle, with our tunics, chain mail, shields, and swords. We put Lucy and a couple of archers at the fighting top, and Rynelf had some of his men ready to put an arrow on the string as well. I joined Caspian, Edmund, and Eustace who were standing behind Drinian at the tiller. Caspian gave the order, and we crept forward into the darkness.

Since we were at the back of the ship, we could see as the prow disappeared into the darkness. Soon the entire ship had been swallowed up, and only the lanterns and the small areas around them were visible. I soon grew very cold, and I moved closer to my boys, wedging myself between Edmund and Caspian. Edmund's hand found mine, and I gripped it tightly.

All around us the darkness was so complete, I thought that this must be what it would be like if the sun and stars just vanished, or fell from the sky. The only sounds were that of the water lapping at the sides of the ship, and the soft clinking of chain mail and swords.

We went into this darkness for what seemed like hours, but it was impossible to tell exactly how much time has really passed. All I could see over the sides was the reflection of the lantern on the water, and it looked oily and lifeless. There was barely a ripple.

And then out of the darkness somewhere around us came a sound of terror. It sounded nearly inhuman, like someone driven nearly to the edge of their sanity.

I gasped and was trying to speak when Reepicheep called out, "Who goes there? If you are an enemy, we don't fear you; you should be the one to fear us! But if you are a friend, then we shall teach your enemies the meaning of fear!"

I looked around wildly, though it was useless, to see where the voice came from.

"Mercy! Please, even if you are only another dream, have mercy on me! Take me aboard, even if you are to kill me, but don't leave me here in this hell!"

"Where are you?" Caspian called, and there came another shriek.

I looked around behind me at the sound of splashing, and in the light of the lanterns saw a form swimming towards us. Ropes were tossed down and the figure was hoisted onto the deck, where it collapsed.

It was a man, who seemed barely more than a skeleton with skin stretched over it. His face was gaunt and lined, and his skin an unhealthy shade of gray. His hair, long and wet and tangled, was pure white, though otherwise he did not seem very old. He wore a few tattered rags on his thin frame, but what was most noticeable were his eyes. They were bloodshot and wide open so that he seemed not to have any lids, and so full of pure terror that it made my heart nearly break, as well as send a chill down my spine.

"Fly away from here! At once! At once! Turn around and never come back!" He screamed as soon as his body touched the deck.

"Calm down," said Reepicheep. "And tell us what the danger is. We're not used to flying."

The man nearly jumped out of his pale skin when he heard Reep, but he raised a bony, trembling finger to him. "Nevertheless you will run from here!" He looked around at us with his wide, frightened eyes. "This is the island where Dreams Come True," he said in a shaky whisper.

There was a pause, in which we hesitated. We knew we had to stay and…destroy it somehow. But the man screamed, "Fools! All of you! Did you hear what I said? This is where _dreams _come true! _Nightmares!" _

Taking another ragged, rattling breath, the man said, "Whatever horrors you imagine _will become reality! _Don't think of them!" he screeched.

An eerie silence fell over the whole ship for a moment as everyone remembered a terrible nightmare they'd had before, despite what the man said, and I myself squeezed Edmund's hand tighter. I'd had my fair share of nightmares, often haunted by the ghosts of my father, my brother, and my victims in battle. And the wolves.

"Uh oh," Edmund whispered next to me, his body going rigid.

"What?" I hissed.

Caspian and Drinian were looking at Edmund in fear.

"_What did you think of_, Edmund?" Caspian asked urgently.

Edmund looked between us with wide eyes, then settling them on Drinian. "I'm sorry, it was your talk of the sea serpents… I've been afraid we were going to encounter one along the way!"

Drinian looked at us, then quickly turned and spun the lion-head wheel at the helm, turning the ship completely around in a matter of seconds. I had to grip the rail to keep from being flung to the ground by the boat's movement.

We began to row back the way we had come, hoping to make it back out before something _did _become reality.

I could hear the men asking each other if they were hearing _it _flying through the air, or if they could hear _them _climbing up the sides of the ship.

Eustace asked in a shaky voice, "Do you hear that sound over there? Like a giant pair of scissors opening and closing?" No one answered him. We were all too caught up in our own fears.

Suddenly in the darkness I heard a rasping voice, but it was unclear what it was saying. I went rigid in fear, whipping my head around to find it. I heard panting, snarling, screams, smelled blood. I squeezed my eyes shut, making my own whimpering sounds. I could almost hear their toenails, their claws, scratching against the wood of the boat, waiting for me, hunting me. Their voices taunting me, howling eerily, telling me that they were waiting for me, they were ready to finish me off, to get rid of me, a human, as the Witch had ordered.

"Rose, open your eyes!" I slowly opened my eyes to find my head buried in Edmund's chest, my whole body, pressed against his with my arms holding him in a death grip. I could see that we were still in the darkness, and that only a few moments had passed.

"Drinian, how long were we rowing in?" Caspian asked hoarsely.

"About fifteen minutes, sir," he answered.

Caspian paled even more.

"Why?" the captain asked in a whisper.

"Because we've been far longer than that rowing out," said Caspian, also in a shaky whisper. Drinian's face paled too, and beads of sweat began forming on his forehead.

This had also begun to occur to the rowers, who were shouting, "We'll never get out! Oh, we're trapped here forever!"

The strange man, who was still lying in a heap on the deck broke into a high keening shriek of a laugh. "No! We'll never get out! I was foolish to believe they would ever let me go!"

I began to cry a little then, and turned back to hide my face against Edmund. I whispered a pleading prayer to Aslan. "Please, Aslan, if you've ever loved us, _please _help us find a way out, _please _help us!"

Then the ship gave a sudden lurch, and bumped.

"Drinian, what was that?" I asked, the icy fingers of terror beginning to squeeze my heart.

There was another bump, this one knocking me to my knees. I scrambled back up, my hand on my sword, Edmund already drawing his.

And then it appeared. The smell of rotting fish and flesh filled the air as the serpent raised its head out of the black water. It looked nothing like the illustrations I had always seen depicted in books about sailing. They depicted sea serpents as having horse-like heads and bright colors. This one however, was much more horrible.

It was a sickly, poisonous dark green with thick slime covering its scales. Needle sharp spines that were about two feet in length each protected the monster's spine. Its eyes were yellow and small and placed right over its wide mouth, with was like a snakes, but filled with rows of needle-like teeth with the lower jaw protruding farther out than the upper. Spider leg-like appendages extended around its mouth and they had sharp claws on the end of them.

The horrible serpent reared its head back and let out a high, grating screech before swinging its head to slam into the _Dawn Treader_. The impact sent the ship rocking back nearly onto her side and flinging everyone on board to the ground to slide across the deck before she righted herself.

The serpent then flung itself across the deck to the water on the other side, stretching its slimy green coils across the deck and squeezing.

I ran down to the deck and began hacking at the coils with my sword like the rest. But despite this, the thick armor-like scales were barely harmed. After my sword bounced back at me, I stepped back and looked up to see where the monster's head was.

"The head's the only way!" I cried. "Its scales are too strong to be penetrated!"

But no one seemed to hear me. The serpent suddenly slammed its head into the ship again, crashing into the dragon's head at the front of the ship, and I realized with a start that I couldn't find Edmund in the crush of people attempting to fight off the monster.

At another grating screech from the monster, I whipped my head around to see Edmund standing up there at the dragon's head, his sword raised. My heart skipped a beat and I screamed, "_Edmund! Get down!"_

The serpent struck again at him, this time completely destroying the dragon's head. I screamed, not seeing Edmund when it pulled back for another strike; where he had been standing was nothing but splintered bits of wood now.

I raced back up to the forecastle deck where Drinian was standing at the helm.

"Drinian, steer her towards those rocks!" I shouted, pointing to a cluster of jagged boulders jutting out of the black water off to the right. He nodded and turned the wheel, understanding what I meant to do.

Then I darted back down, trying to find a way to get to the other end of the ship despite the coils of serpent across the middle of the ship. I had to get to Edmund, I had to see if he was still alive.

Then I saw, to my immense relief, Edmund still clinging to the remains of the dragon. He was still clutching his sword, though now holding it in his left hand, his right arm bleeding profusely.

My eyes shifted to the right to see the rocks getting closer. In a few more moments we would reach them, and crash.

"Edmund!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I saw him glance at me briefly. "The rocks!" He looked at where I was pointing and nodded.

When the serpent reared back its head to strike again at Edmund, he gripped his sword. As its head came down at him, he thrust the sword forward up into its open jaws and through the back of its throat just as the ship smashed into the rocks, pinning the writhing green sea beast between the hull of the ship and the boulders.

It let out a horrendous screech of pain, and Edmund pulled his sword back as it finally released the ship from its coils and sank beneath the ship, not to resurface again.

I rushed forward to where Edmund had stumbled down from the decapitated dragon. He sank to his knees and let the sword fall to the deck with a clatter, coated in thick, brown blood and slime to its hilt.

He was covered in the same, mixed with his own scarlet blood. I sank to my own knees, wrapping him in my arms.

"You did it Edmund, you did it! You got rid of it, oh, I'm so proud of you…!" I went on, and was soon joined by the rest of the crew, along with Caspian, Drinian, Lucy, Reepicheep, and Eustace.

I was in tears, relief flooding my body with warmth and making me feel emotional and my body loose. I was kissing his mouth, his cheeks, his forehead, all the while hugging tightly, not wanting to let go.

But our relief and triumph were interrupted by the wild man we had rescued from the dark, who called out, "More like that will come back if we do not find a way of here! The fear will creep back in, and then despair, and then you will _never _find a way out!"

Drinian gave orders for the men to go below and begin rowing, though we did not know in which direction to row.

I could feel Edmund shuddering next to me, still shaken and shocked, and I squeezed him tighter. We managed to scrape off of the rocks and begin moving forward again. For many more minutes we rowed through the darkness with no sign of exit.

But then Rynelf cried from nearby, "Look!" and I looked to see a small speck of white in the darkness. Then a beam of light fell across the ship, with what looked like a cross in the middle of it. But the cross quickly became an albatross, which swooped three wide arcs around the mast before turning and to fly back in front of us, as if guiding us. It called out to us in a strange sound, beautiful and enchanting. No one had any doubt of following it.

And soon the darkness turned to grayness, and then all of the sudden we were back out in the bright light of day, the sunlight still beating down on us cheerily. It dried the tears on my cheeks, warmed my body, and banished all fear.

We gathered around the stranger, who for awhile couldn't speak and only ran his bony hands over the wood and ropes, as if making sure he was really awake.

Tears began rolling down his gaunt cheeks, and he finally said, "Thank you. You have saved me from…but I won't talk of that." He paused as if to shake himself and then continued, "And now let me know who you are. I am a Telmarine of Narnia, and when I was worth anything men called me the Lord Rhoop."

I noticed that he still spoke with the heavy Spanish-sounding accent of the Telmarines before Caspian took back the throne. Now most of them had accents that were a blend of Telmarine and Narnian accents.

Caspian knelt before him. "And I am Caspian, King of Narnia, and I sail to find you and your companions who were friends of my father's."

Lord Rhoop kissed his hand and said, "Sire, you are the person I had most wished to see in all of the world. Please grant me a boon," he pleaded.

"What is it?" asked Caspian.

"Never ask me, or let any other ask me what I have seen in my years on the Dark Island," he rasped.

Caspian shuddered and nodded. "An easy boon."

I looked back at where we had come from, but realized with a shock that the dark mass of black mist was gone. With a shout, I turned back to face the others, and then they all realized it too.

"We have destroyed it!" Caspian said in disbelief.

"Yes, just like Coriakin said! Now we must follow the star to the last lords!" I said, still staring at the horizon to make certain it was gone.

I helped Edmund down to his cabin, where I dressed his wounded arm and helped him get clean clothes. Then I forced him to rest for the remainder of the afternoon as we sailed on to our next destination.


	33. Chapter 33

**Yeah, so this is a short chapter, sorry about that. But I've been busy acting like a fool in the snow for the past few days, and studying for exams. **

**So this was all I could get done for now. We got 8 ½ inches this week, and school's been canceled for three days, and it's been very exciting. Some of you might be rolling your eyes at our measly 8 inches, but I assure that, here in SC, that's a LOT of the white stuff. :D**

**REMINDERS: Go see the movie. And reviews. Those are nice. :D**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

After our escape from the Dark Island, we continued pursuing the blue star. The days grew warmer and the winds grew gentler, the waves weren't much more than ripples, and yet we still glided along. When the sun set behind us each night in a show of crimson and purple and magenta, I watched as new constellations, brighter than the familiar ones in Narnia, appeared over the eastern horizon.

I had lost track of the days it had been since we had come across the Dark Island, but we eventually spotted a new land on the starboard bow. As we got closer, I could see that there were no beaches, but sheer rock cliffs topped with tall, lush vegetation. A pleasant odor filled the air. The Island of the Star at last.

"It smells like…purple," I said to the others as we stood near Drinian at the tiller.

He muttered something that only he could hear, but Edmund looked at me and said, "You're crazy, Rosie," and laughed.

But Lucy agreed with me, and Caspian said, "I know what you mean."

We sailed quite far around the island, looking for a harbor, but had to settle for a shallow bay. We got thoroughly soaked in the boat going ashore, and our ears were filled with the roaring of the waves. We left a few men to guard the boat, and then set out a little ways inland, even though it was getting dark.

We hiked through the thick trees, the hum of insects and songs of birds filling the quiet as we walked. The island seemed to have a tropical climate with bright, beautiful flowers and colorful, showy birds.

We hadn't gotten very far before Eustace exclaimed, "Look, what's that?" and pointed ahead. I looked to see a stone bridge, draped with vines and crumbling away in some places.

Caspian and Edmund went first to make sure it was solid, and then we made our way up some more ruined, ancient steps, also draped with vines. And at the top stood a great table.

It was surrounded by stone pillars, but without a roof, and perched on the edge of one of the cliff-sides by the sea and had a wide view of the eastern horizon. In the middle was a great, long table covered in a crimson table cloth and surrounded by ornate stone chairs with silken cushions on them. But in the middle was a feast that the likes of which had never been seen before, not even in my days in the Golden Age of Narnia at Cair Paravel.

There were turkeys and hams and geese and peacocks, pies in different shapes of animals and ships, lobsters, salads, salmon, nuts, grapes, pineapples, oranges, apples, peaches, pomegranates, melons, starfruits, and thick golden loaves of bread. The china was exquisite, and there were jeweled goblets filled to the brim with the finest wine. A breeze wafted the smell towards us, and my mouth began to water.

"Where are the guests?" asked Eustace.

"I can provide that!" exclaimed Rhince eagerly.

"Don't touch anything!" barked Edmund, and pointed down to the far end of the long table. "Look!"

"What are _those?" _I asked in a whisper.

"They look like haystacks," said Caspian.

Reep jumped up on the table and scurried down to the strange form, sniffed, touched and then called back to us, "I doubt these will be fighting."

We joined him at the far end and saw that the form was actually a huge mat of gray hair, coming from three slumped figures.

"Are they dead?" asked Lucy in a whisper.

I found one's hand and pressed my thumb to his wrist. "No, this one has a pulse, and is warm," I answered her. The others found that the other two were the same.

"They must be sleeping," Lucy said.

Edmund gestured to the hair. "Must be an enchanted sleep, for all of this to grow."

"Well it appears as if we have found our last three lords," I said.

We were interrupted in our thoughts when suddenly the blue star above our heads in the now-dark night sky blazed even brighter and then began plummeting straight down towards us.

It slowed, burning ever brighter before dimming to reveal a figure that seemed to emit a blue glow from within.

The figure came closer and stopped right at the table at the far end. We could now see it was a tall girl. Caspian, Edmund, and Eustace all straightened up, and I felt my jealousy spike when I saw them stare in awe at her.

It wasn't hard to see why. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen; her beauty even surpassed Susan's. Her hair was the color of moonlight, tumbling all the way down her back in luscious curls. She was dressed in a long dress of clear blue silk that left her arms bare, exposing her porcelain skin. Her eyes matched it perfectly.

"Travelers of Narnia who have come from far to Aslan's table; why don't you eat and drink?" She asked, her blue eyes looking over us.

Caspian answered, "Milady, we were afraid that the food would cast an enchantment upon us, like our friends." He gestured to the sleeping hair.

"They never tasted it," answered the girl.

"Then…how did they get like this?" asked Lucy.

"Seven years ago, they came here in a ship that looked as if it would sink at any moment. One wished to stay here and end their days in peace, and go no further. Another wanted to return to Narnia. But the third said that they must continue east and see what there was to be seen, for they were Telmarines and sought adventure. The three began to quarrel, and one grabbed the Knife of Stone and would have killed his friends. But when he touched it, the enchantment fell upon them, and they have not woken since, and will not wake until the enchantment is undone."

There was a moment of silence, and then Eustace asked, "What is this Knife of Stone?"

The girl looked at us. "Do none of you know it?"

I swallowed. "It belonged to the White Witch," I said softly. "The one she used to kill Aslan on the Stone Table, and to turn her enemies into stone."

She nodded. "The very same. And it was brought here to be honored as long as this world lasts." She gestured to the wicked looking weapon resting on the table near the sleeping men.

Eustace asked if he could trust her that the food was safe, and then Reep drank from a goblet of wine to see if they could.

"Lady, I pledge thee," he said as he took a sip.

Nothing happened, and so we soon began to fill our plates.

Eustace, full of questions this evening, asked "Why is it called Aslan's table?"

The girl turned to him, and I could see his face flush. "It was put here at his bidding for those who have come so far. Some call this island the World's End, but you can sail farther. This is more the beginning of the end."

"How does the food _keep?" _Eustace asked again.

"It is eaten and replenished, every day. You will see this."

Caspian swallowed his wine and questioned, "And how are we to wake the Lords? Coriakin the Magician told us we must destroy the Dark Island, and then that we would find them at the Island of the Star."

The girl answered, "I am the star in question. My name is Lilliandil, and my father Ramandu and I live and watch over this island and the table. My father will explain all."

"Where is he?" I asked, looking around us at the thick, dark trees.

Lilliandil looked up at the glittering sky, and my eyes followed hers.

"He comes now," she said, and I saw one of the thousands of stars above us begin to flare brighter and begin its descent to earth.


	34. Chapter 34

**Ugh. So that wonderful snow that I was so happy about is now starting to lose its charm, as I have now not left my home since last Sunday, have finished re-reading all seven Harry Potter books, have watched four of the movies, and have sledded to my heart's content. **

**So here's another update. I'm sure there'll be more soon, since I won't be leaving my house any time in the foreseeable future.**

**Enjoy and review. **

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

The second star flared brighter as it touched the ground, and then dimmed, like Lilliandil had, to reveal a figure. It came to stand at the opposite end of the table as the girl, and I could see it was an old man. His tall, slender frame was dressed in a silvery gray-blue robe that seemed to emit a pearly, silver glow. His silver beard hung down to his shins, and his hair hung down to the backs of his calves. His eyes were clear gray.

When he came to stand at the table, we all rose. And then he and the girl began to sing, high and clear and mournfully, but I, to this day, cannot remember the words.

And when they were finished, the sun rose above the horizon, casting its rays down to the table. As I squinted at it, I knew for sure that it had indeed grown larger as we sailed farther east. And that meant that we truly were close to the end of the world.

This realization was both exciting and terrifying. I was eager to see what we would find at the end of the world, but then, I felt that my time with Edmund was growing short. I couldn't say way, but there was a slight sense of urgency now, like our time together was coming to its end. I mentally shook myself; I had no way of knowing that he would have to leave, or that we would be parted. I turned my attention back to what was happening in front of me.

There was a great sound, like flapping, and the song was taken up by thousands of other voices. I turned back to the sun, and saw that the sounds were from hundreds of thousands of snowy white birds, unlike any I had ever seen before. They landed on every surface, even my head and shoulders.

But through the feathers, I saw one bird land on the old man's outstretched arm with something in its beak, but I couldn't tell what it was, because it too bright to look at for long. The bird dropped the glowing thing into the old man's mouth, and then the singing stopped. The was just the ruffling of feathers and then after a few moments, the snowy birds rose in a great thunder of wings, and when they were gone, the table was clean of all food.

Then the old man turned to us and said, "Welcome to Aslan's Table, travelers from the West."

We greeted him back, and then Caspian said, "Sir, will you tell us how to wake our friends from their sleep?"

The old man nodded. "Gladly. To end their sleep, you must sail to the World's End, or as near as you can come to it, and you must come back having left one of your company behind."

We were quiet for a moment, wondering what this meant, before Reep voiced our questions.

"What will happen to the one?" he asked.

"He must go on into the utter East, and never return to this world," said the old man.

"That is my heart's greatest desire," Reepicheep said softly.

I looked at him sharply, but before I could say anything Caspian said, "And are we near the end of the world? Have you any knowledge of what lays beyond this island?"

The man shook his head. "I saw them long ago, but that was from a great height."

Eustace jumped up excitedly. "Did that mean you were _flying _through the _air?" _

The old man smiled kindly. "I was much higher than the air. I am Ramandu, but I see that you do not know my name. But no wonder, as the days when I was a star were long before any of you had been born, and all of the constellations have changed."

I blinked, trying to let this sink in. Next to me, Edmund said under his breath, "Wow, he's a _retired _star."

I smiled. "Why aren't you a star anymore?" I asked.

"I am a star at rest, my daughter. When I was old and decrepit beyond imagination, I was brought to this island. I am not as old as I was then. Each morning, one of the birds brings me a fire-berry from the valleys on the Sun, and I grow a little younger. When I am as young as a newborn babe, then I shall once again tread the great dance."

I still had more questions, but Eustace blurted, "In our world, a star is a massive ball of flaming gas."

Ramandu shook his head. "Even in you world, that is only what a star is made of, not what it _is." _Then he looked at Lucy. "I think you have already met a star, for you know Coriakin."

Lucy frowned. "Is he a retired star also?" she asked in her high voice.

"Not quite the same. It is not quite a rest that he was set to govern the Duffers, but might be more of a punishment," answered Ramandu.

"What did he do, sir?" asked Caspian.

Ramandu sighed. "It is not for you to know what faults a star can commit. But come, we waste time in such talk. Are you yet resolved? Will you sail further east and break the enchantment, or will you return west?"

Reepicheep jumped up. "There is no question of it. We shall sail east and rescue these lords from the enchantment."

Caspian agreed, "I think the same. And even if it weren't for the lords, it would break my heart to turn back and not see what lay beyond here." He sighed. "But the crew only signed on to seek the seven lords, not to find the end of the earth. I could not take them further without their knowledge and consent, and then there's poor Lord Rhoop to think about."

The star agreed with him. "But what of this Lord Rhoop?" he asked.

I spoke up and told him the story, and then he said, "I can give him what he needs most. On this island he can have sleep without any dreams at all. Let him sit here and drink oblivion until you return."

Before Caspian could answer though, we heard Drinian and the others approaching. When they arrived, we told them everything we had heard, and asked the crew about continuing east. There were some concerns about how we were going to sail home with winds coming from the west, but Drinian solved that.

However, the crew still wasn't entirely sold on going further, but then Rynelf stood up. "I just want to say one thing. All of us chaps are volunteers. None of us were forced into coming on this journey. And some of you who're looking at that table and thinking of feasts were talking very loud of adventures on the day we set sail from Cair Paravel, and swearing you wouldn't come home until you'd found the end of the world. It was a finer thing to have a berth on the _Dawn Treader _than to wear a knight's belt. I don't know if you get the hang of what I'm saying, but I think that we'll look as stupid as those Dufflepuds if we go home and say we only got to the _beginning _of the end of the world and hadn't the heart to go any further." And there was great cheer from about half of the sailors.

We continued to talk it over, but many were still not convinced.

But finally Caspian whispered to me, "I've still got one more card to play," and jumped up to his feet.

"Friends!" he began, looking around at all of the sailors, both human and not. "I think you have all misunderstood our purpose. It was not as if we had come to you, begging for shipmates. We and our royal brother and sister and their kinsman and Sir Reepicheep and Lady Rosaline and the Lord Drinian have an errand to the world's edge. It is our pleasure to choose from among you those who are the most worthy of such an enterprise." Caspian paused again, letting it sink in. "That is why I shall now command the Lord Drinian and Master Rhince to carefully consider which men among you are the best choices for our continued voyage, and to give their names to us in a list."

Here he paused again for a breath, and then continued. "Aslan's mane! You didn't think that the privilege of seeing the end of the world is to be bought for a song? Every man that comes with us shall pass on the title of Dawn Treader to all his descendents, and when we land at Cair Paravel on our home voyage, he shall have either gold or land enough to make him rich all his life. Now, scatter about, and in an hour's time Drinian and Rhince shall bring me the names."

I felt a swelling of pride at Caspian's clever speech. I smiled widely at him, showing him. He had come far in three years, and this showed just how good of a leader he had become.

He turned to us and said, "Now for Lord Rhoop."

But when we turned to the end with the sleeping men, we saw that he had already arrived in silence and was sitting next to Lord Argoz. Next to him stood the ethereal Lilliandil with Ramandu behind him. He placed his hands gently on Rhoop's white hair, and silver glowed faintly from his fingertips. And then Rhoop smiled and sighed contentedly, falling forward slightly as he fell asleep.

An hour later all of the men had come back to the table, and Caspian made his report. All of the men had been accepted except Pittencream, a sailor who had been the last to change his mind and who now felt sorely left out and who brooded all by himself for the rest of the evening.

That night we all ate and drank from Aslan's Table, having a feast. Everyone was jolly and cheerful, but I was quieter than usual. I still had that nagging feeling at the back of my mind, and couldn't shake it. I noticed Caspian flirting heavily with the daughter of Ramandu, but she remained politely reserved.

I felt the faintest twinge looking at them, but couldn't place it exactly, so I ignored it. Edmund gently held my hand through the meal, or kept his left hand resting on my thigh. It made shivers of excitement course through my leg every time he ran his thumb across it.

The next morning we set sail again, after the snowy white birds had come again to clean up whatever we had left from our feast.

As we sailed away from the lush island, I stood at the rail by Edmund. I noticed he was seeming a little unfocused, and I asked him what was bothering him.

He looked at me, breaking out of his thoughts and unfixing his eyes from the horizon. "Nothing's wrong, Rosie, don't worry. I'm just wondering what we'll find out there," he said with a light laugh and a smile.

He leaned down and kissed me, but still I couldn't shake the feeling that something was troubling him, and that he wasn't sharing everything on his mind.

**PS: I've bumped the rating up to T for some stuff that's coming in the next few chapters. You'll see.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Hehe having you all wondering what's gonna happen is making me positively gleeful. :D Guess you'll just have to wait and see!**

**As always, I remind you to go see the Dawn Treader movie, and keep your fingers crossed for Carrie Underwood's "There's A Place For Us" song to win in its category at the Golden Globes Sunday night! It's a great song that plays in the end credits of the movie.**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

After leaving the Island of the Star, everything became very strange. None of us talked very loudly, and we went to bed quite late at night and got up very early in the morning, because we were not very tired. We didn't eat and drink much, and the sun was too bright and big.

Lucy and I leaned out over the rail and watched the clear water racing by. We could see the shadow of the _Dawn Treader _right on the bottom of the seafloor, it was so clear and shallow. And then we saw wavy, purple-green plants like a forest on the bottom, with a gray path cut through them. We determined that it was a road, and then it climbed up a hill and we could barely believe our eyes. On the bottom of the ocean was a castle made of coral, complete with towers and minarets and domes. And then we passed over a large, open place that looked rather like a park, and saw merpeople.

"Lucy! Look, look!" I cried, hopping up and down in excitement and she squealed in delight.

There were about fifteen of them, all mounted on seahorses. But not the kind of seahorses that are small and really a strange kind of fish. These looked like the hippocampi from Greek mythology, with fish tails that blended smoothly into a horse's body, with the front legs and head. They were beautiful, in all different colors.

The people were unclothed, and their skin shimmered as if it contained tiny particles of micah. Their hair was wild and in unusual colors like purples, greens, blues, pinks, golds, and oranges. They wore crowns upon their heads and strings of pearls around their necks. When they spotted us, they rose up nearly to the surface, their hippocami thrusting their pearly tails hard to keep even with the ship. The men raised their spears and stared at us fiercely.

"What are you looking at, girls?" Edmund asked from behind us.

I jumped, startled by his sudden appearance, but then said, "Look!" and pointed out at the people.

Drinian, who had come over with Edmund, said in a low voice, "Turn around, Your Majesties, that's right, backs to the sea. And don't look like we're talking about anything important."

Lucy frowned, a bit worried. I did too. "Why, what's wrong?" she asked.

Drinian continued to talk in a low voice, leaning casually against the rail. "It won't do to have the men falling in love with a sea-woman and jumping overboard to be killed."

I understood. "I've heard of that happening in strange seas," I agreed.

Suddenly there was a plopping sound in the water and someone called 'man overboard!' I ran to the edge where others had gathered, followed by Edmund, Lucy, and Drinian. As I peered over the rail, I saw that it wasn't a man, it was Reepicheep.

Drinian began furiously muttering, "Damn the bloody Mouse! It's more trouble than all the rest of the crew combined! If there's any trouble for it to get into at all, he'll find it! It ought to be put in irons, marooned, have its whiskers cut off. Can anyone see the damned thing?"

As shocking as his talk was, I wasn't bothered, because I knew Drinian was only that upset because he was very worried about Reep, and that he didn't mean what he was saying at all.

I was worried too. I hoped we could get him back onboard before one of the merpeople spotted him. I tossed down the rope as he bobbed excitedly, chattering and spitting water. Then Drinian yanked him up on the line, whispering for him not to tell about the Sea People.

But Reepicheep wasn't worried about them at all.

"Sweet, sweet sweet!" He cried excitedly.

"What are you going on about?" Drinian asked crossly.

"The water's sweet, fresh! Not salt!"

We all just stared at him blankly for a moment. Then it dawned on a few of us, and Reepicheep repeated his prophecy. "When the waves grow sweet, doubt not, Reepicheep, there is the Utter East!" he said excitedly.

"Bring me a bucket," Drinian requested. One was handed to him and he lowered it into the water.

"Perhaps Your Majesty would like to taste first," offered Drinian.

Caspian took the pail and sipped, then drank deeply. We waited expectantly.

"Yes, it is sweet," he said, his brown eyes shining. "That is _real_ water, that is. I am not sure if it's going to kill me. But it is the death I would have chosen, if I had known about it till now."

We looked at him, bewildered.

"What do you mean?" asked Edmund.

"It's like…it's like _light _more than anything else," Caspian said, staring thoughtfully into the bucket.

Reep agreed. "That's what it is! Drinkable light! We must be very near the end of the world now!"

Lucy took the bucket and took a sip. "Oh! I know what you mean! I shan't need to eat _now." _She exclaimed.

I took the bucket and drank, and immediately I felt it. It tasted golden, if that makes any sense, which it doesn't. It filled me with energy and strength like I had never felt before. I was almost trembling from it all. And I noticed another thing; the light, which had been much too bright, now wasn't so bad. I could look right into the sun without blinking.

More buckets were brought and everyone had a drink. Everyone felt the change. It was as if every surface were shining, and glowing from within. It felt wonderful, to have so much energy and strength. I didn't need to eat, I wasn't thirsty, I was almost never sleepy.

We continued to speed along, even without our sails, for there was no wind. We figured that we must be caught in some kind of current, which made me feel a little uneasy, especially if this world happened to be flat. I didn't want to go sailing off the edge of the world.

Even though the water made me feel incredible, I still couldn't be totally at ease like the others. I continued to have little twinges of worry as the sun got bigger and brighter and we got closer to the edge of the world. I had no idea what Aslan had in store for us, or more importantly, Edmund and Lucy, but I was still worried. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had very little time left.

Each day we drank more of the water, and excitement grew, but we only spoke occasionally, and never above a whisper.

One day though, when I was leaning against the rail, staring into the sun, I heard Caspian say to Drinian, "My Lord, what do you see ahead?"

Drinian studied the horizon for a moment before answering, "I see whiteness. All along the horizon, for as long as my eyes can reach."

Caspian nodded, his eyes never wavering from the horizon. "That is what I see too. But I cannot imagine what it could be."

I walked over and joined them. "I see it too. In higher latitudes, I would think it would be ice, but not here."

Drinian nodded his agreement. "All the same, let's hold back so we don't go crashing into whatever it is."

When we finally got near the edge of the white, we lowered down the boat onto the glassy sea. Inside were Reepicheep and Rynelf and a few other men. When they rowed to the very beginning of the white, we could hear their voices clearly across the still water, high and excited and marveling. Then they quickly rowed back to the emerald sides of the _Dawn Treader. _

"Lilies, Your Majesty!" Rynelf shouted excitedly to our questioning faces, leaning over the sides to peer down at them.

"What did you say?" Caspian queried.

"Lilies, I said!" Rynelf answered. "White lilies, as far as the eye can see!" He held one up. "The same as in any pool or garden!"

The boat was brought back up, and Lucy held an armful of the white blossoms, spilling them onto the deck. Their odor filled the air; a sweet, fresh, clear, almost _lonely _sort of smell. I inhaled deeply, and it made my heart thud faster.

Edmund bent down and scooped one of the flowers out of the pile, tucking it gently behind my ear. When I looked at him, I saw that his chocolate eyes were burning into mine, intense and passionate. He kissed me once, right on the deck in the open, with the sound of the sailors' whistles and catcalls around us.

When he pulled back, the corner of my mouth quirked up, though I tried to hide it. I was blushing deeply, feeling the heat of Edmund's arm around my waist. I wasn't used to be so affectionate in public, but the water and the sunlight combined with the fragrance of the lilies brought out our desires and wants more than we would usually allow ourselves to show. It made it almost impossible to restrain myself from kissing him back, even more passionately.

I carefully slipped out of Edmund's arms, smiling softly, to go and study the sea some more. But as I slid out of his embrace, I caught Caspian's eye. There was something on his face that was completely unreadable and when he saw me glance his way, he averted his eyes, turning to have a conversation with Drinian. I frowned ever so slightly, wondering what it was all about. But I quickly brushed it aside, tossing the moment behind me, forgetting for the while.


	36. Chapter 36

**Well, I know this chapter is pretty short, but it took me forever to write. So I hope you like it, haha.**

**This is why I bumped the rating up to T. It's not bad, but it does definitely **_**imply **_**some things. :D**

**BeckyBoo12221- That's fantastic, haha. Seven times? I'm quite jealous**

**Don't forget reviews!**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

We sailed along the narrow current for several more days, until the glassy green sea was merely an emerald strip on the western horizon. All around us was the Silver Sea, as we had come to call it. Each day we took a sounding to see how deep it was, but it remained the same for about four days. But on the fifth day, the water got suddenly shallower, and the next day even more so.

By this time, I knew our journey was nearly at its end and that there were only a few more days until we found the World's End. And each day, my sense of urgency grew stronger, and I felt inside of me that mine and Edmund's time together was dwindling.

On the evening of the sixth day of sailing on the Silver Sea, when we took our measurement of the depths and found how shallow it was, I knew that the _Dawn Treader _wouldn't be able to carry us much farther. Maybe one more day of sailing before we would run aground, and I wondered what we'd do then.

When I went to bed that night, I tossed and turned. I lay staring up at the planking on my low cabin ceiling, thinking about the time, and how, so quickly, it was suddenly gone. Because I knew, just like I knew Edmund and Lucy would come to me like Aslan had promised, that now they would be leaving again. They may not have known it then, but I could feel it in my bones. Tonight was our last night to be together, and I was lying here, wasting it with useless attempts at sleep.

I threw back my sheets with a sudden determination, my heart racing. I quietly opened my door and crept down the narrow hall, clad only in my flannel nightgown. I avoided all of the squeaky floorboards, being as silent as I could.

When I reached his door, I took a deep breath, my heart pounding, and then gently pushed it open. He was awake, lying on top of his sheets on his bed, still fully clothed and a candle lit on his bed stand. His dark eyes darted to me in the doorway, and he quickly sat up.

"Rosie?" he whispered.

I stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind me. "I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep tonight, I just couldn't. Not with…" I stopped, biting my lip.

His dark brows knit together slightly. "What is it?" He asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, but remaining seated. "Not with what?"

I took a shaky breath. "I…I'm…" I stuttered, not able to say what I needed to. How could I just say something like that? Put everything I was thinking into words? Edmund stood now, closing the short distance between us.

He took my hands and looked into my face. "What is it?" he asked again, even softer this time.

I couldn't help it; I started crying. A few tears slid down my cheeks, and I sniffed softly. And then it all came gushing out.

"I've been having these feelings that you and Lucy are going to have to leave soon, and I know it's silly and I have no real reason to think that, but I _know _it's true. And if you leave, I'll be alone. And we'll never have gotten the chance to spend time together, by our_selves, _maybe be married. And I'll never know what it's like, I'll never have gotten to…" Here I trailed off.

I just couldn't say it. Edmund's dark eyes were searching mine as I spilled out my thoughts. When I stopped, I could see his puzzlement.

"What what's like?" he asked, tucking the red curls that had fallen in my face behind my ear.

I looked at him, my green eyes looking into his brown ones. Then I looked back down, ashamed, but saying it anyway, just barely audible. "What it's like to _love _you."

I heard his breathing hitch just slightly. There was a moment in which he was completely still and silent, and I panicked. But then he tilted my chin back up, and kissed me. He kissed me slowly and sensuously, and his fingers running through my hair. I breathed in deeply, melting into his body, and circled my arms around his neck. One hand ran down the back off my neck and onto my shoulder, tracing designs onto it. The he was tugging the material over my shoulder just slightly. He traced kisses along my jaw, slowly down my neck, onto my shoulder.

Then he whispered into my ear, "Is this what you want?" I nodded slightly, breathing shakily as my heart pounded in my ribcage. "Are you sure?" he whispered again.

I nodded again and then said, "Yes, I'm…I'm sure."

I could feel him smile as he kissed my collarbone, and barely heard him say, "Good. Because I do too."

He began to tug at my other sleeve, while I un-buttoned his shirt, and then slipped it off. His bare chest was beneath my fingertips, and this made my heart gallop even faster.

I unbuckled his belt, and then he slid my nightgown all the way off. I immediately felt exposed in the flickering yellow candlelight, and tried to cover myself. I looked away from him, embarrassed by my skin, freckled from so many days spent out of doors, and all of my scars from battle.

But then he was taking my wrists, pulling my back to him again, saying, "Don't try to hide yourself, Rosie. You're beautiful." He pulled me onto the bed, and then leaned over to blow out the candle, wrapping us in darkness.


	37. Chapter 37

**I sure have gotten lots of varied reviews. Some of you liked the last chapter and thought it was perfect; others wanted it to be longer and more than just 'implied'. I had thought about more…ahem, details, but there are people who read this who are younger, and I don't want to poison their minds, haha. And while this **_**is **_**a romance, I don't think that in order to have a romance, there has to be a lot of R-rated stuff.**

**That aside, a lot of you are wondering if the story's going to end soon. I'm sorry to say that you'll just have to wait and see, for a little bit longer. Hehe. :D**

**And now, on with the story. (Don't forget reviews!)**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

The too-bright sun streaming in through the small cabin window woke me. I was momentarily confused; I hadn't slept in a long time. And then I blinked a few times, taking in my surroundings. I was cradled in Edmund's strong, tanned arms, his bare chest against my bare back. I took in a sharp breath, remembering.

I sat up, waking Edmund as I did. His brown eyes slowly blinked awake. It took him a moment to remember, just like me, and when he did, he slowly sat up next to me. He looked around him, sighed, and then asked me with a half-smile, "How are you?"

I thought. I was a bit stiff and sore, physically. But on the inside…I was at peace. I had everything I wanted right beside me, and it was perfect.

But then reality had to set back in. He was leaving. He would be gone soon. And I couldn't go with him. We couldn't be together, we couldn't be married. I was no longer whole. And the others, who were up and busy probably for hours by now, they would know. They would know when we both appeared, the only two still in bed. They would know what we had done, and it was wrong.

I wiped the sleep from my eyes, and then climbed out of bed. "Come on. We need to get up on deck," I said softly to Edmund, letting my loose hair fall down and hide my face from his gaze.

When we emerged into the sunlight and whiteness on top, all talk ceased. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I strode across the deck to where Caspian and Drinian were standing at the helm. I pretended to ignore the comprehension on the crew's faces, including Caspian, Drinian, and Lucy. Eustace seemed to be puzzled, because although he could detect the tension in the air, he didn't know exactly what had gone on.

"Good morning, Drinian, Caspian," I said. "What's the reading today?" I desperately wanted to dive into my bed and hide from all of the stares. Especially Caspian's. His dark eyes were burning a hole into my forehead.

His gaze flicked back and forth between me and Edmund, who was behind me now. "It's only about thirty feet deep now. We won't be able to sail much further on board the ship," he answered finally.

He stared at me once more, and then turned away, back to Drinian, his expression still blank. And with that, conversation among the crew began again, picking up where it left off before.

At about two in the afternoon, Drinian gave the order to pull aside of the current which had been carrying us steadily. The water had grown too shallow for the _Dawn Treader _now, and we had to stop for fear of running aground. Caspian stood on the deck, rubbing his slightly scruffy chin and gazing out thoughtfully over the lilies. He stood there for quite a while, and I waited tensely for what was to come.

Finally, he turned back to us and called out, "Lower the boat and call the men aft. I must speak to them."

I called the men to the back of the ship, and they stood below us on the main deck, waiting curiously for what Caspian was to say. When silence had fallen over the _Dawn Treader, _Caspian spoke.

"Friends, we have now fulfilled the quest on which you embarked. The seven lords are all accounted for and as Sir Reepicheep has sworn never to return, when you reach Ramandu's Island you will find the Lords Revilian, Argoz, and Mavramorn awake. To you, my Lord Drinian, I entrust this ship, bidding you to sail to Narnia with all the speed you may…," he continued, and I listened with growing alarm. What was Caspian talking about? He couldn't be thinking _that, _could he? He was mad.

"But Sire, are you abdicating?" asked Drinian incredulously.

"I am going with Reepicheep to see the World's End," he answered.

The sailors began to shout and argue, shaking their fists and heads in rebuttal.

Caspian spoke louder, over the crew, "We will take the boat. You will have no need of it in these gentle seas and you must build a new one on Ramandu's island. And now-"

But Edmund interrupted, shouting over all of the others. "Caspian! You can't do this."

Reepicheep agreed from where he had scurried up to the rail to perch next to the king. "Most certainly, his Majesty cannot."

"No indeed," added Drinian.

Caspian looked sharply from Edmund to Reep to Drinian. "_Can't_?" he barked.

I realized that his expression suddenly reminded me of Miraz, and this frightened me.

"Begging your pardon, Caspian," I said, not calling him by his title, "but if one of us did the same, it would be called deserting."

My king glared at me, and I caught a look of more than just indignation. He was suddenly furious at me, though I knew it couldn't have just been from what I'd said, since the others had said worse. No, this was more than that.

"You think too much of yourself, Rose," he growled menacingly, glaring daggers.

"No, Sire, she's right!" Drinian said.

Caspian turned to address everyone again, bellowing, "By Aslan's Mane, I thought you were all my _subjects, _not my schoolmasters!"

"I'm not," Edmund said, his face expressionless, "and I say that you _cannot _do this."

"Can't again," said Caspian. "What do you mean _can't?"_

I spoke again, braving his fury. "If I may speak, my _King_, we mean _shall not. _You are the King of Narnia. You break faith with all of your subjects, and especially with Trumpkin, if you do not return. You shall not please yourself with adventures as if you were a private person." I paused, and then went on in a less formal manner, threatening, "And if you won't listen to reason, Caspian, then I and every other man on board will disarm and bind you to the mast until you come to your senses!" He glared at me, but I met his gaze with my own steady one.

Edmund chuckled and said under his breath, "Just like Ulysses and the Sirens."

Now Caspian had had enough; he whipped out his sword. I immediately drew mine, taking a defensive stance and with my sword gleaming in front of me. Edmund stepped beside me, matching my position, his expression stony.

"Stop it, all of you!" shouted Lucy shrilly, her hands on her tiny hips, just as we were about to engage in fighting. She turned to Caspian and began to lecture him, just like a mother would a child. "What would all of your friends think if you never came back? Trumpkin, and Glenstorm, and Cornelius, and Trufflehunter! They would be _heartbroken_ that you had chosen not to come back to them!" Caspian stood irresolute for a moment, his face unreadable. But I knew that Lucy had struck a nerve; he loved all of them as family.

Finally, he shoved his blade back into its scabbard with an angry stab and shouted to the ship in general, "Fine! Have it your way! The quest is ended. We all return. Get the sails up again, and get the damned ship pointed home."

Reepicheep protested, saying, "Sire, we do not _all _return. I, as I have explained before-"

"Silence!" Caspian erupted. "Will no one silence that Mouse?"

I was shocked, he had never addressed Reepicheep in such a way.

The Mouse was clearly hurt as well. "Your Majesty promised to be good to the Talking Beasts of Narnia," he said sternly.

"Talking beasts, yes, I did. I said nothing about beasts that never _stopped _talking," Caspian said as he stormed down into his cabin, slamming the wooden door behind him with a resounding _bang_.


	38. Chapter 38

**Once again, sorry for the delayed update. :P I had three tests and a project this week, so I was a little busy. **

**Also, I read some great news about the movie- It has topped $100 million in the US, and added to the worldwide profits, that makes its total $373 million! And there are rumors that Walden Media and Fox have been talking about **_**The Silver Chair! **_**So yeah, that's exciting, and I hope it's true. :D**

**Anyways, thanks for all of the reviews; I know a lot of you are wondering how I'm going to do the ending of **_**The Voyage of the Dawn Treader**_**. Well, here is the chapter to answer that.**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

I waited about thirty minutes before saying, "I'm going to go talk to him," to the others.

I knocked softly on the door and said, "Caspian? Can I speak with you?"

There was a muffled response, so I pushed the door open. Caspian was sitting on his berth, his head in his hands.

"Caspian?" I asked again.

"Aslan has spoken to me," he said suddenly. "That golden lion's head on the wall came to life and spoke to me. It was terrible-his eyes. Not that he was at all rough with me, just a bit stern at first. But it was awful all the same. And he said-he said…" He shook his head as he broke off.

I said with my heart pounding in my chest, even as I already knew the answer, "What did he say?" I tried to keep my voice from trembling.

Caspian looked at me, but it was like he could see right through me. He knew what I was thinking. "He said that they're to go on. Reep and Eustace and Lucy and Edmund, and I—I am to go back to Narnia. Alone, and at once."

Even though I'd known it was coming, it was still like a knife to the heart. That I was going to lose them again, after what felt like so little time?

"What did he say about me?" I asked, barely more than a whisper.

His dark eyes searched me, and then he said, "You're to return with me to Narnia."

I nodded, fighting back the sudden, hot tears and trying to swallow the aching lump in my throat. "I'll…I'll go and tell the others," I managed to croak, and then turned to go.

I delivered the news to Edmund, Eustace, Reepicheep, and Lucy. Caspian came back soon after me, and apologized to the crew.

Afterwards, Edmund pulled me aside. "Are you sure you can't come? Why can't you come? You had a choice last time!" His voice was hoarse and he was blinking a lot, and I knew there were tears shining in his chocolate eyes.

I had thought about this too, but I figured I knew the answer. "I…I think that when I stayed last time, and you all went back, time in that world continued again. I can't go back now, because I don't exist there anymore. It was different last time because…because I had followed you back to England, and time hadn't passed there."

He held my gaze, his mouth slightly open. Then he whirled away, slamming his fist down on the wooden rail.

"Damn! Damn, damn, damn," he said over and over to himself, getting softer each time. He was silent for a long time, staring off at the lilies.

Finally he turned back to me, a resigned expression on his face.

"Can't you come anyway, Rose? Come with us and—and talk to Aslan, ask him if you can come back," Edmund said weakly.

I shook my head, staring at my feet as tears ran down my face. "No…no, he's already said to Caspian, very clearly. I'm—I'm to stay here. He's not a tame lion; I can't tell him what to do."

He drew me into a hug, a long, tight embrace in which we both tried to convey our love as much as we could. He rested his chin on the top of my head, holding the back of it gently. I could feel him crying silently. I held him tightly, trying to imprint everything about him into my brain, so that I would not, could not, forget.

But finally we had to draw apart, because they were getting ready to lower the boat. I hugged Lucy, who was sobbing over leaving her new friends and me and Caspian, who were like a sister and brother to her, and I picked Reepicheep up and hugged him, even though he was squirming around and threatening to cut off my ear if I didn't put him down. I hugged Eustace and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he told me that I "wasn't so bad after all, for a girl."

One by one, they climbed into the rowboat, with Reep's little coracle tied inside. Right before he climbed in after the others, Edmund pulled me to him again. He gave me one last lingering kiss, in which I felt as if we were trying to tell each other everything, how much we were feeling, and how much we wished it could be different.

Then he looked at me with tears shining in his eyes, his hands on my shoulder, and told me, "Rosie, promise me that you'll do what's best for _you, _not what you think I would like. Because _that's _what I want. I need you to be happy and taken care of, all right?"

His voice was strained, and I knew he was trying to swallow a lump in his throat, just like me, and so I nodded and said that I promised, even though I had no idea what he was telling me. He nodded, gave me one last kiss on my forehead, and then stepped back, trying to muster a smile as he stepped across into the rowboat.

"I love you," I whispered, wiping the tears off my face.

And then they were being lowered down into the glassy, still water, on top of the lilies. They rowed out into the current in which we'd been sailing, and then they were swept off, carried away through the sea of white, away from me forever.

All of our flags were raised and our shields hung out to honor their departure. We waited until they were merely a speck on the horizon, and then Drinian turned the _Dawn Treader _so her prow was facing home.

I stood at the stern, watching until I couldn't even see the speck anymore. Then I slowly went down to my cabin and quietly shut the door behind me. I stood, looking about my tiny room, and then finally went and sat down on my berth. I lay down on my bed, curling into a ball as my body was wracked with sobs for what I had lost and could never have.

I stayed in my cabin for the next three days. I had no need to come out; I didn't need to eat as long as I could drink some of the liquid light, which Rynelf brought to me each day. He and Drinian and Caspian tried to coax me out, but I wasn't going to leave my room of my own volition until we reached Ramandu's Island.

On the second night after leaving the Silver Sea, I had vivid flashes of dreams. I saw the rowboat, abandoned in the shallow water on the edge of a wide flat sandbar. A tiny coracle with a Mouse in it, sweeping up a huge greenish-blue wall of water, disappearing into the unknown on the other side. Three figures, walking hand in hand through the lilies. A Lion appearing next to them and walking alongside them. Aslan. Him speaking to them, telling them that they would never come back to Narnia. Lucy crying, questioning why, Aslan telling them to learn to know him by another name. Then him roaring and a tunnel appearing in the Wave, and then the three walking through it, turning back for one last glance at the lion, and then they were gone. Aslan looking straight at me, his golden eyes full of sadness. And then my dreams were gone.

Nine days after the Parting, we arrived back at the star's island. There we found the Lords Mavramorn, Argoz, and Revilian awake, as well as Lord Rhoop. He was much recovered, and all of their beards had been shorn. We feasted like royalty that night at Aslan's Table, and though the rest of the crew were jolly and boisterous, I was silent next to Caspian from where I was seated on his left while Drinian was on his right. Next to me was Lilliandil, Ramandu's daughter. The star himself was absent; Lilliandil said he only appeared when it was time for the birds to come and clean away the leftovers and bring the fireberry.

Anything that I thought had been going on between Lilliandil and Caspian I must have exaggerated in my mind. Though they had seemed enamored of each other before at our first visit to the island, now they merely behaved like friends. They were polite to each other, but never affectionate. Lilliandil told me that since she was part star, she was bound to this island to be the keeper of Aslan's Table for as long as this world shall last.

We set off from the star's island the next morning after the birds came. Each morning after that on our returning voyage seemed empty and silent, for we had grown used to the snowy creatures each morning and had come to look forward to their song. We made stops at each of the islands we had discovered on our way east, except for Deathwater, to replenish our stores.

I spent most of the voyage in my cabin or helping out silently on deck, becoming one of the crew. But the ship seemed lonely and dreary without chess games with Reepicheep, or Eustace's whining, Lucy's lighthearted laughter, or Edmund's whispered "I love you"'s.

Caspian tried his best to bring me out of my depression. He talked to me all the time, but when I was too low to answer or continue a conversation, he understood. But sometimes I could see that tendon in his jaw clench and unclench, and I wondered briefly what was wrong, though he never said anything.

We had wonderful sailing weather and only encountered one big storm on the way home, between Dragon Island and the Lone Islands. It lasted three days, which I spent in the bilges, carrying buckets of water up to the deck and then back down to scoop some more. It was hard, exhausting work, but I threw everything I had into it to keep my mind from wandering.

When we finally reached the Lone Islands, Lord Bern was standing at the docks to greet us, and there was a parade in our honor. Bern had horses waiting for Caspian, Drinian, and me, and I relished in being on the back of an equine again. We paraded through the streets, waving at the citizens of the Lone Islands, listening to the joyful music. At the manor house, gold and scarlet banners and tapestries of lions had replaced the drab décor from Gumpas's reign. We had a feast, and I couldn't help but be lifted out of my gloom by all of the joviality.

That evening in my chamber, I had my first bath in three months. It felt so unbelievably good, and I wondered at the joy that something as simple as a hot tub of water could bring. By the time I was done, my skin was several shades lighter and the water was a disgusting gray.

As I lay in my bed that night, it felt like it was rocking, like on the ship, and I smiled at remembering when I'd stepped off the boat that morning. I had staggered about like a drunk, even falling down once. The rest of the crew hadn't been much better, but I was still glad for the horse so that I wouldn't have had to weave around like that in the parade.

We stayed in the Islands for three days, but were all eager to get home to Narnia. We restocked for the final leg of our homeward journey, and then set sail for Narnia and Cair Paravel again.

**Please don't light your torches and sharpen the pitchforks yet. There's still more.**

**Oh yeah, and don't forget to review!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Phew. Well I'm glad y'all weren't too mad about Edmund and Rose's parting. ****The reviews were mostly positive, although I know a lot of you were sad.**

**Anyway, on with the story, and thanks for reading on and sticking with it!**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

When we finally saw the white cliffs of the Narnian coast, a great cheer erupted from the rigging of the _Dawn Treader. _Caspian gave the order for a few bottles of champagne to be brought up, and we all celebrated our homecoming with a few glasses of the finest from Terebinthia.

We finally pulled into the harbor of Glasswater at noon, and there was a party from Cair Paravel there awaiting us. Glenstorm was there with Trufflehunter and Anduril, as well as many other Talking Beasts and people. They all set up a great cheer when we came ashore in the rowboats, and waved their banners and ran along side us.

When I got to my unicorn, he whinnied joyfully at me, prancing in place and then nuzzling me affectionately as I threw my arms around his silver neck. I saw with a slight grin that he had in fact gotten quite a bit rounder in his time off, and I told him so. For that I got a bit of a nip on the shoulder, but I didn't mind. I had missed him too much.

Caspian's horse Destrier was also happy to see him in his own simple way, him being a regular horse. He nickered a low greeting, bumping Caspian with his velvety black nose. We swung up onto their broad backs, and began the ride to the castle. The welcoming party of humans and Old Narnians started after us, either riding their own horses or running along on foot.

We started off at an easy lope, but I soon told Andy that I was in the mood for swiftness, and he leaped into a gallop. Soon we were flying through the trees, Caspian and Destrier on my right and Glenstorm on the other side of him.

We reached the castle first, and there was what seemed like most of the population of Narnia waiting for us. There was music and food and dancing and Narnian banners waved about. We rode through the streets to the castle, waving and smiling as flowers were tossed to us, filling the fresh Narnian air with a sweet odor.

On the inside though, all I felt was exhaustion, and more than anything I wanted to crawl under the covers of my wide, four poster bed in my chamber overlooking the sea, and not emerge for the rest of eternity. But alas, I had to pretend to be happy and recount our entire voyage to all of our friends and the historians that were sure to be flocking to the castle.

When we finally got into the castle, Trumpkin and the others were there waiting for us in the Great Hall. We had another feast, in which we told our stories to the inhabitants of the castle. Trumpkin was greatly distressed that Lucy and Edmund had come back to our world without him getting to see them. The Dwarf loved Lucy especially, though he would never admit to being soft.

Caspian brought out the maps that Coriakin had made with his magic, and they pored over them for the next hour. I sat quietly in my place next to Caspian, staring at the tapestries on the wall and watching the flames dance in the fireplace. We had arrived back in Narnia in late autumn, and the air outside right now was crisp and frosty. Most of the leaves on the trees had already changed color and fallen, turning dry and brittle and dead on the forest floor.

I excused myself from the table and went down to the stables to visit with Andy. I went into his open stall (he was never confined) and sat on the straw, telling him of all of our adventures while he lay on the thick hay across from me, listening intently with his silver ears tipped forward and his dark liquid eyes fixed on me. And when I told him about Edmund and I, he made soft, throaty sounds of sympathy while I cried into his silken mane.

And so I spent my first night back home in a stable, sleeping in the straw with my unicorn. The next morning, a stable lad found me. He woke me, telling me that Caspian had been quite upset all morning, worried about my absence.

I quickly said goodbye to Anduril and then rushed back into the castle through the kitchen doors. Seeing that breakfast was done, I snatched a heel of bread and smeared some jam on it before trying to sneak upstairs.

"Rose!" Caspian called just as I was about to disappear. I froze, slowly turning to face him. "Where on earth have you been all morning? I—we were worried about you," he said sternly, as if reprimanding a child.

This irked me for some reason, and I felt a sudden surge of annoyance. I snapped back, "You should know better than to worry about _me, _Caspian." I crossed my arms.

He sighed. "Normally I wouldn't have. But the way you've been acting lately, I didn't know what to think. I was afraid you might…do something." He looked uncomfortable as his dark eyes flicked over my face, searching.

I didn't meet his eyes when I replied softly, "Yes, well as you can see, I'm fine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to go to my chamber." He nodded, but continued to look at me, as if trying to read my thoughts. He sighed, almost sadly. "What?" I asked sharply.

He looked startled and shook his head. "Nothing, you, erm, you have a bit of straw in your hair," he said, reaching out to pull it out. I looked up at him when his hand lingered just a second longer before he cleared his throat and strode away. I frowned after him, baffled by his strange mood.

I continued to spend most of my time either in my chamber, staring out my floor-to-ceiling windows at the sea, or with Anduril, either walking on the beach, grooming him, or riding in the forest. I tried to keep away from other people as much as I could, because being with people meant having to talk. And I just couldn't manage to do much of that. I had to pretend everything was ok and going just fine, nothing was wrong, my heart wasn't broken and bleeding.

Edmund consumed all of my thoughts. I couldn't focus on anything else for long, just reliving our last night together over and over, wishing that somehow we could be together again, but as man and wife. That I could never see him again, much less marry him, was too much to bear, and sometimes I would began to weep just as hard as when he had just left.

Meanwhile, Caspian was moody and still acting strange, watching me and then dismissing it when I asked him why. I took to trying to avoid him as much as I could, wishing those awkward moments would come to an end.

I spent two monotonous weeks in relative solitude until the night when my entire world was rocked, forever altering my life.

**Haha, yeah, the dramatic, sort of cliched last sentence. I apologize for being a cheeseball.**


	40. Chapter 40

**This chapter was almost impossible to write, so I hope you don't hate it! :/**

**Chapter Forty**

That night, I had a dream. But this dream was not like all of the many others I had had since coming home. Those had all been about Edmund, and had had a hazy, otherworldly quality about them.

But this dream was vivid and real. Aslan spoke to me.

I was in a forest, one I had never seen before, and somehow I knew I wasn't in Narnia. The trees were huge and thick, their branches blocking out almost all sun and sound, and they seemed ancient and colossal from growing for centuries. Between them, beautiful rainbow colored birds with elaborate feathers darted in and out, their music filling the air. And then I heard the soft padding of paws behind me, and turned to face Aslan.

He was even bigger than I had last seen him, his coat glowing as if the sun was shining its light directly on him.

"Aslan!" I cried with a delighted grin, and ran to hug him like a child runs to its father. He rolled over onto his side, his eyes laughing. "I've missed you," I said to him, sitting on the ground in front of him.

"And I you, Daughter," he said. But then his demeanor changed. He became serious and sad.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Do you know why I have brought you hear, Daughter?" He asked.

I shook my head. "N—no," I said. Aslan studied me with his sad golden eyes before speaking again.

"You have disappointed me, Rose." When he said that, it crushed me. I didn't want to disappoint him, ever. And when he said I had disappointed him, it felt like all of the air had been sucked out of my lungs and my body turned to ice.

"Wh—what have I done to disappoint you?" I asked softly.

"You and Edmund indulged in a pleasure intended for a man and his wife. You both knew better," he looked at me, his golden eyes showing the depth of his disappointment, and his voice like that of a parent sternly lecturing a child.

I wanted to melt right into the ground with shame and guilt. I looked down at the grass, not able to meet his eyes for it.

"But, he was leaving, and we'd never get to see each other again. And I love him so much-," I stopped, aware of his eyes on me. I glanced up at him and then back down and whispered, "I'm sorry Aslan. _Please _forgive me."

"I forgive you for your sins, Daughter. They will be forgotten and we will dwell on them no more." At these words I felt a huge relief, overwhelmingly thankful that it was forgiven, that Aslan was so merciful to me, even though I felt I didn't deserve it.

But then he was continuing, with the life-altering words that I had never dreamed of hearing.

"But you must hear this, Rose. You enjoyed a pleasure not intended for you. I know why you did it; because you are in love. But there is another purpose for the union between a man and a woman: conceiving a child." I looked up at him with wide eyes, feeling as if I were falling, my stomach doing that strange tickling-sensation, my blood _whoosh_-ing in my ears. His hard gaze softened.

"Am I…?" I asked, barely above a whisper, barely able to croak out the words.

He nodded his great head.

"You are with child."

I woke with a start and a gasp. At first I was confused and disoriented at finding myself in the darkness of my bedroom instead of the warm, dappled sunlight of the forest, wondering if it had really all happened. But I knew that it was too real, too vivid for it not to have been real. I knew I had been there and felt the cool, green grass under my hands, heard the soft, melodious voices of those birds, and felt the warmth and strength radiating from Aslan who had sat on that same grass by my side.

As the realization slowly washed over me that I had really been there, I felt myself grow cold again. At first I was much too shocked to do anything but sit and stare into the darkness. But then I leaned forward, burying my head in my hands.

"What can I do, what can I do?" I asked myself.

It was unfathomable that inside of me, a tiny life was growing and would, in a matter of months, become a human being. I had never even thought of having children someday; it had never crossed my mind. And now, out of the blue and with such abruptness, I was going to have one.

Of course I could not fall asleep again after that realization, for all I could do was sit with my knees drawn up under my chin and think with wide eyes of what I was to do.

At breakfast, Caspian noticed something was wrong with me. He kept throwing me concerned glances, probably seeing how pale I was and seeing the dark circles under my eyes. I barely touched any of my food, feeling sick to my stomach, even though I knew that it was too soon for me to be plagued by the sickness that mothers-to-be suffered through.

I fled from the table as soon as I could, going to the stable and swinging up onto Andy without a word. He felt my anxiety and galloped off through the countryside, not needing me to tell him where to go. We knew each other too well to need to communicate out loud. At times it seemed as if he could read my mind, and this was one of those times.

Weaving in and out of trees, leaping over logs, ducking under branches, splashing through streams we went. He ran until he felt that I was ready to stop, that we were far enough from any human settlement. I finally sat up and he slowed his pace to a gentle stop.

I slid off of him, collapsing into a heap on the forest floor and wrapping my cloak tightly around me against the late morning frost. I sat for what felt like hours, just staring at the frozen ground and letting my legs go numb from lack of movement and cold. Anduril came over and nuzzled my shoulder, his horsey breath puffing warmly against my cheek. But I merely stroked his nose absently, ignoring him otherwise, too lost in my thoughts.

The sound of another horse approaching broke me out of my trance. I looked up to see Destrier with Caspian astride him, his nose and cheeks chapped from the cold. He swung off, his boots crunching on the frosty ground. I looked away from him again to go back to staring off through the barren woods.

"Have you been sitting here all morning?" He asked after several minutes. I nodded. More silence, and then, "_Why _Rose? Why? You haven't been the same since we came home."

I turned to him and gave a short, humorless laugh. "Do you even have to ask?" I answered.

Something passed across his face, but I couldn't name it. "Are you going to spend the rest of your life like this? Fuming and depressed?" He asked angrily.

I turned away from him fiercely, muttering, "You don't understand what it's like."

He strode over to stand in front of me so that I couldn't ignore him. "What was that? I do not _understand? _How do you think I felt when Susan had to go back?" He snapped.

His words were like a slap in the face. I knew that they had had a brief romance, but I had never imagined he would still love her, after three years. He had never even acted like he was missing her after they had gone, just throwing himself into working to gain the trust and loyalty of Narnia. Now I guessed that was just a way for him to hide it.

"Do you still…?" I asked, letting my sentence trail off.

He thought for a moment, staring off through the trees, where now a few snowflakes were beginning to drift downwards. Finally he answered.

"I still miss her, yes. And someday, I hope that perhaps I will see her again. But I…I have moved on, and the pain is not as great as it was."

Again I felt frustrated. "_How? _How can you forget about her that quickly?" I asked.

He looked at me, his dark eyes burning. "I have not forgotten her, I will never forget her. But I am able to accept that I will not see her again in this life, and that there are others out there. There is…someone else now."

I frowned. Who could he love now? Obviously not Lilliandil, since he hadn't pursued her anymore and they had only known each other for a very short time. And there weren't many women at Cair Paravel, just the maids and other servants, and though it was quite unlikely, it wasn't impossible. Could it be one of them?

"Who do you love now?" I asked.

He turned away, kicking at a tree trunk with the toe of his boot. "It doesn't matter. She's too busy mourning the loss of someone else, hiding herself away from me. She won't pay attention to what's right there in front of her."

I still sat on the ground, feeling frozen, but no longer from the cold.

"Caspian?" I asked in a small voice.

He stopped, and then turned back to me, his face softer, his dark eyes sad. I rose to stand in front of him.

"Yes, Rose," he said. "I…I love you. But it doesn't matter, because you love Edmund. I can never have you, I know that, and I will accept it." He swallowed, looking down at his feet.

My heart was pounding and my mind was racing. Caspian loved me. Edmund was never coming back, and I was going to have his child. Here, Aslan had provided me with a way to raise my child the way he had intended all children to be brought up.

Edmund's last words before he left came to me. _"Promise me you'll do what's best for you, not what you think I would like. Because that's what I want."_

I stepped closer to Caspian, closing the space between us. He looked down at me, and I reached up to kiss him gently. I felt his surprise, but then he kissed me back. He cupped my face and kissed me harder, our mouths moving together, the stubble on his jaw feeling a bit like sandpaper. I slid my arms around his neck, opening my mouth, inviting him in. He accepted, and I felt his tongue slip through my lips. I let myself sigh, and then I pulled back.

He stared at me, his coffee brown eyes full of confusion and longing. "I do love you Caspian. I really do," I told him.

And it was true. I did love him, I discovered. _Just not like I love Edmund_. But I couldn't have Edmund.

His eyes searched my face. I could see he wanted to say something.

"You can say it," I encouraged him, hoping that my sudden kissing hadn't been too tactless.

"Say what?" he asked.

I sighed. "Whatever it is you want to say."

He took a breath and then said, "You…you will probably say no, and I will understand that. But, if you do love me at all, please consider it."

I urged him to go on by raising my eyebrows, already guessing at what he was going to say. I felt slightly sick as he did, knowing what I was going to do in a matter of seconds.

He took another breath and then asked, "Rose, will you become my wife and become Queen of Narnia?"


	41. Epilogue

**Thanks for the mostly positive reviews guys. FelipeMarcusThomas- Thank you! That means a lot **

**GMLowry- I'm sorry that you didn't like it, and I certainly did not intend to offend anyone with my "conservative views." However, keep in mind that Rose was living during WWII back in England, and also that Narnia is kind of set in the Middle Ages, and that the views in those time periods were very different from today's. I also wanted to keep Aslan in character as much as possible. Also, I am aware that you don't get pregnant every time; however, for the sake of the plot, Rose did.**

**Thanks for reading, and here's the last chapter. **

**Epilogue**

"I realize that you still love Edmund, and I'm not trying to replace him. But I think in time, you could come to love me too…" he went on talking, but all I could do was stand there.

I was about to say yes, I would marry a man who I didn't love, or at least not like I should love a husband. Caspian was more of a best friend. But I was pregnant with a child that would be born out of wedlock, and grow up without a father. Unless…

I smiled softly at Caspian when he finally stopped talking and just waited for my answer. "Shouldn't you be down on one knee?" I managed to ask.

He looked taken aback for a moment, but then said, "I—I can if that is what you want," he said completely seriously.

I forced a laugh. "You don't have to. The answer is yes," I told him.

That night I sat on my window seat in the small parlor-like room of my bedroom suite. I stared out the huge window at the silvery trail the moon made on the waves. I was immersed in thought.

So much had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Aslan had spoken to me through a dream, I had learned I was to be a mother, and Caspian had confessed he loved me and then proposed.

And I had said yes.

I was scared. No, I was terrified. I had no idea how to be a mother, how to raise a child. I had never been good with children; I had felt I lacked that natural female knowledge of how to handle them. And also, I was afraid of marrying Caspian. He had always been just a friend to me, I hadn't ever really thought about him as anything else. There had been only Edmund. And yet…

When I had kissed Caspian, I had felt something. I hadn't minded kissing him, even though I knew that I could never love him the way I had with Edmund. I was afraid, too, of hurting him. Like when my belly began to show. I was afraid of him finding out it wasn't his baby.

Edmund's baby. I was going to have _Edmund's baby. _It was terrible and wonderful all at once. Terrible because I would never get to tell him, never see him again, and he would never know he was a father or ever get to see his son or daughter's face. But it was also wonderful, because I would always have a part of Edmund to hold onto, to remember. Edmund's last gift to me.

By the time the sun began to peek over the waves outside of my window, I knew what I was going to do. My plan for the rest of my life; the rest of my story.

I would marry Caspian. Since we would be man and wife, we would have to…do as married couples do. After a few weeks of that, it would be probable for me to conceive, and no one would question it. And I would have my baby within nine months, and Caspian would never know otherwise.

After thinking all of this out and forming a plan, I had expected to feel relieved to have a course of action, but…all I could feel was the ache. It didn't make me feel any better knowing I was going to deceive Caspian, not to mention the rest of Narnia. And for Edmund to never even _know _he was going to be a father drove me to fresh tears every time I thought about it. But there was nothing else I could think to do. I wanted the best for my baby, and this was the best I could do with the situation.

I dressed, washed my face, and prayed to Aslan for strength before I went down to the Great Hall, to face my fiancé for breakfast, and to announce to the rest of the country our upcoming marriage…

**Yes, it is titled "Epilogue", but there is another story coming. I wouldn't just let it end like this! Keep your eyes out for the next one; first chapter should be coming soon. :D **

**Thanks for reading!**


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